Time After Time
by LemonSupreme
Summary: On Charlie's 40th birthday, she is offered a chance...a chance to go back and save someone from her past - the one and only man she ever really loved. This story is about time travel and the afterlife. More importantly, it is about a love that won't die. Charloe/Blackout AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: For anyone who actually reads my fanfic profile and pays attention to the 'coming soon' teasers I put there, this will be one you might have been expecting. It's been in the works for six months, and although it's not all that long (seven chaps total), it is far weightier emotionally than my usual fare. This story deals with death (and I'll warn you a lot of it), but also with time travel and the afterlife. More than anything, this story is about love – the kind of love that never dies.**

 **I rarely write a story in its entirely before posting, but that is what I've done here. I did this for continuity reasons (the story is interwoven in a way that made me want to be able to go back and change early parts if needed) and also simply because it's a bit angsty and I didn't want you to have to wait for updates. What does that mean for you? You'll get a new chapter daily for one week until all seven chapters are published. If you want to wait until its complete, to read – I do understand, but I hope you'll give it a shot.**

 **Still unsure? Maybe this will help… just like the best massage parlors, I guarantee a happy ending. So, even if you are reading and you think, how can she possibly end this with Charloe together and happy and with a future in front of them? Well, just trust me. It's going to happen. I'm giving you my word.**

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 **Chapter 1** : **Why Did We Wait So Long?**  
(The First Day of the Patriot War – Willoughby Texas – The year is 2029)

Bass Monroe nurses a whiskey in a crappy bar in the heart of Willoughby. Only a few hours have passed since he and Blanchard watched as Texas Rangers took the first shots of the new Patriot War. Bass smiles a little at the memory. He's trying to do the 'good guy' thing with Miles, but it is kind of fun to let General Monroe out to play once in a while as well.

Bass isn't very excited about the war ahead, but he and Miles have both agreed to do whatever they can to help. There are still some tensions between the Ranger leadership and the two former Generals, but Blanchard has been doing what he can to smooth things out.

Miles and Bass will join the troops in a week or so. Blanchard had agreed when they had asked for a short break before getting into the middle of it all. Bass doesn't have any plans for his time off, but some ideas are taking shape. He needs to find his kid, for one, and he thinks maybe it's time he talks to Charlie. Seems like maybe it's time to tell her how he feels.

And then, almost as if conjured by his thoughts of her…she is here.

Bass knows Charlie well enough to know that she took note of everyone who is here as soon as she walked in. She knows he's here. She knows he's sitting alone at a corner table. She probably knows he's watching her.

He waits, never taking his eyes from her form.

She trades currency for a drink before turning his way. He cocks an eyebrow in invitation. She rolls her eyes but comes his way, settling into the chair across from him.

Charlie takes a drink before speaking, "So, I heard you and Blanchard caused quite a ruckus earlier?"

He shrugs, "Yeah, we got things started. No big deal."

"Some people think that starting a war is sort of a big deal." She's trying not to smirk, but fails.

"I suppose that's true." He takes another drink, holding her gaze. "You joining up? Miles said you weren't sure."

She shrugs, "Probably. Nothing else to do."

"Well, I hope you'll be fighting with us. Always have liked working with you."

"Yeah?" she seems surprised by this.

"Of course. You're a great fighter – you know, for a girl." He teases.

Charlie narrows her eyes at him, but she sees he's laughing and shrugs. "You fight pretty good for a girl too."

Bass laughs loudly then, his head thrown back. "Well, you know what I mean. We make a good team. You, me and Miles."

"Yeah, we do." She agrees, still smiling. "And Miles thinks we can win it easily. Maybe by summer."

Bass frowns at this, "That would make it the first easy war we ever fought, but yeah, I do think we'll win."

She nods thoughtfully, "You know…this seems strange. You're talking to me like a person." She tilts her head, watching him with bald curiosity.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, ever since we got back from Austin, you've been distant and, I don't know, weird. There for a while we were kind of getting along. Lately, not so much."

"Oh." He stares into his whiskey without saying more.

"Ah, there he is…the silent, broody Monroe I've gotten used to lately." Bass hears something in her voice and glances up. She shutters her expression quickly, but not before he sees the hurt. Shit.

"Listen, Charlie… I'm sorry." He knows it sounds lame. It is lame. He isn't sure how to tell her that he's distanced himself on purpose. When he'd seen how torn up she was after Austin, he wanted nothing more than to go to her, to hold her, to…. "I guess I just needed some space."

She leans away quickly, as if she's been slapped. Charlie stares at him for a second. This time she doesn't even try to hide the hurt. She stands, "Then by all means, have some space."

He watches her walk away as regret boils in his gut. "Damn it." He mutters before downing his drink and following after her.

He finds her easily. She's just outside the door of the bar, leaning against the wall, her face hidden in shadow. "What do you want?" she asks with a cracking voice.

"I want to buy you a drink." He runs a hand nervously through his hair, "I want to explain better. Please come back in."

Charlie looks across the street as a group of grade school aged children run by screeching and waving tiny Texas flags. The town is full of celebration as news of the war's kickoff floods the streets. Everywhere she looks, Charlie sees grinning faces and laughter. The realities of war have not set in yet for these people. It will soon. For now, everyone is just happy that the war is finally underway. She envies them their happiness. She doesn't feel it herself. She doesn't answer him, but she does turn and walk back into the bar.

He sighs in relief, and follows her to the table they'd just vacated. She sits. He sits next to her, avoiding the chair across the table where he'd been before. He still has a good view of the door, and from here he can hear her better over the swelling noise of the crowd. She won't look at him, choosing to stare at the table top instead. "So explain." She finally says.

"I needed some space after Austin…"

"Because?"

This is not how he wanted to get into this. He isn't even sure what to say, but he takes a deep breath and dives in. "Because I knew you still hated me and I knew you'd be mad if I tried to be there for you, but I understood what you were going through and I wanted to help you through it if I could… but I knew it wasn't my place, and I didn't want to make you mad." He frowns at her profile and then looks away. "Or make you madder than you already were anyway. So, I started staying away, and then the thing with the mustard gas happened, and your Bitch Mom tried to turn Miles against me, and then the train and Neville. It all just happened so fast. And then Connor… Anyway, I'm sorry."

She stares at him a moment, shocked to hear such a rambling speech from Monroe. She chooses to focus on the bit she understands, "What about Connor?" she asks.

Bass takes another deep breath, letting it out slowly, "He left because I chose to stay and fight with Miles instead of rebuilding the damn Republic with him. Don't know if I'll ever see him again. He's off with Neville somewhere."

"I know he's your kid, but Connor is a dick sometimes."

Bass looks surprised, "Where is this coming from? Thought you guys were…buds."

"Why? Because I slept with him once? Sorry. That experience didn't exactly make me his number one fan."

Bass shakes his head, but laughs before leaning in close. "Clearly, he was doing something wrong if the impression he made was so poor…." Bass's voice is teasing, and his breath is hot on her cheek.

She tries to keep a straight face, but the smile in his voice is contagious. "Clearly." She agrees. After that, the mood lightens and they settle into comfortable conversation. Bass motions for the bartender to keep the drinks coming.

They've been sitting here, drinking, talking and even flirting for over an hour when another round appears. Bass decides it's now or never. Might as well dive in. He takes a drink, "So Jason? He was 'the one' or whatever?"

She narrows her eyes at him, "The one?" Charlie asks, unsure what he's getting at.

"I went looking for Miles today after Blanchard and I were done with uh…treaty negotiations. I wanted to ask him if he'd like to grab a drink. When I found him, you guys were talking. I didn't want to intrude…"

"But you were okay with eavesdropping?"

Bass shrugs, "I didn't hear a lot. Just you saying Miles and your Mom should try to make things work and that you never had that chance with Jason…so, he was 'the one'?"

"I don't know. I said that because I needed an example that Miles would accept coming from me. Jason was important to me, but no. I don't think he was 'the one'."

"And Connor wasn't either?" he teases.

"Definitely not." She shakes her head.

"Surely someone has caught your eye?" He knows he's probably going about this all wrong, but he can't seem to help himself.

She shrugs, not meeting his gaze.

"Well, I hope you aren't going to tell me it was Scanlon who you can't stop thinking about, because if it is…I have some bad news for you."

She scrunches up her nose, "No. Not Scanlon." She takes another drink, "Wait. What was your bad news about Scanlon? Did he go off with Connor and Neville?"

"Probably would have, but when they all started shooting at me, I shot back."

"Oh." She nods, understanding. "Sorry about all that. You made the right choice, though. Miles over Connor. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I do know. Doesn't make it easier." He looks down at his drink, smile gone.

"We don't have to talk about it."

"Good." He says, meeting her eyes, "Where were we? Oh yeah, you were going to tell me who it is that you can't stop thinking about."

"Uh, I was?" She asks with a little smile. "I don't ever remember telling you there was anybody I can't stop thinking about…"

Bass is watching her closely, and his heart beat accelerates when he sees her gaze fall to his mouth as she speaks. They have been drinking for a while, and as the bar has become more crowded, they have moved closer together. He's not exactly sure when he put his arm around her shoulder, but now he's unable to focus on anything other than her closeness.

"Yeah, you were." Now it's his turn to look at her mouth. He lets his gaze linger there, making sure that she sees that he's looking. Bass looks into her eyes again and he can feel her sharp intake of breath. Slowly he curls his fingers to press lightly against her shoulder, stroking the tiniest of circles against the thin leather of her jacket.

Charlie turns into him slowly, her nose just barely brushing the side of his throat. Her voice is low, "What is happening here?"

Bass's fingers dig into her shoulder as he pulls her closer. "I guess this is me showing you who I can't stop thinking about."

She pulls away slightly, meeting his eyes. "Since when?"

"Since I found you in that field with my…"

"That was a long time ago." She whispers, her lips brushing against his ear. "What took you so long?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you weren't the only one…."

"Since when?" he asks, grinning now, heart pounding.

"Since…I don't know exactly. A while."

"Maybe we can go somewhere? Talk about it?" he asks.

"What if I'm tired of talking?"

Bass answers her without words. His lips find hers in a kiss that is tentative and exploratory and so very hot that he feels it in his bones. He pulls away and stands, grabbing her hand. They leave the bar quickly, but she stops him when they are outside. "Where are we going?" she asks.

"I was going to stay at the rooming house. Haven't checked in yet."

Charlie nods in agreement and they start in that direction. He holds on to her hand, glancing at her frequently, trying to gauge her thoughts. He is very aware that at any moment she might change her mind.

She squeezes his fingers and grins shyly. He gets the message. She's not changing her mind.

They get to the front desk of the old rooming house. An old geezer is reading a tattered paperback and doesn't even look up. He points at a small hand written sign that lists the prices, and pushes a guest book in their direction. Bass places the required diamonds on the counter and picks up a stubby pencil. He goes to write his name, but stops when Charlie places a hand on his arm. He looks at her and sees the shake of her head. Charlie blushes and that's when he understands. If they use their real names, someone might find them. Someone might interrupt.

Neither of them wants any interruptions. Not tonight.

He presses the pencil to the paper. He scrawls something on it and takes the key that has materialized on the counter. Charlie glances at the guest book as Bass pulls her toward the stairs. His handwriting is surprisingly neat, and she smiles when she reads what he's written.

Mr. and Mrs. Ulysses S Grant.

They make their way to the room they've rented for the night, bumping into walls and tripping over uneven floor boards as they go – unable to keep their hands and mouths off each other. By the time they tumble into the room itself, they are both breathing heavily.

"You sure you don't want to talk, you know…first?" he asks, pulling at her jacket.

She shrugs out of the garment. "Yeah. Very sure."

"All right then." He says with a little smile as he slips his fingers under the hem of her tank, tugging the fabric over her head. Her bra is simple if a bit ragged. Bass doesn't care. He leans in to nuzzle the space between her breasts. They are full and firm with youth. Her hard little nipples press against the worn cotton enticingly. He sucks one and then the other through the bra. She moans, arching against the heat of his mouth.

He stands tall again and now it is Charlie who is pulling at clothing – his – in an effort to see all of him. He helps her. Soon all barriers have been removed. Charlie and Bass face each other in the shimmering light of the moon as it shines through the small window.

"You are beautiful." Charlie says softly.

He shakes his head, "No Charlotte, that would be you." He puts his hands on her face, tenderly rubbing calloused thumbs over her smooth cheekbones. He stares into her eyes for a long time, telling her without words how much it means to him that they are here.

Finally here.

Taking Charlie's hand, Bass pulls her to the bed where they lay side by side. First touches are slow and achingly sweet. He strokes down her arm and over her hip. She trails tentative fingers from his throat to his abs, loving the way he trembles in response. He covers her mouth with his, searching for and finding entry. Bass slides his tongue into her mouth, exploring her depths. He moves his hand to cup her breast, caressing the mound carefully.

"Bass, please…" she whispers shakily. He smiles against her mouth. He understands. They've waited long enough.

He slides his hand down her body, slipping his fingers between her thighs. He finds her wet and swollen with need. "Damn it Charlie." he says roughly, stroking two fingers into her heat.

Charlie moans, arching into his touch. She reaches between their bodies, grasping his hard cock firmly.

"Now?" he asks her.

"Now."

Their first time is slow and sweet.

The second time is needier and more intense.

Round three is a different animal all together. Flecks of dust float through the first rays of sunlight. As the new day dawns, Bass is sitting with his back to the headboard. Charlie is astride, moving up and down slowly, sheathing his shaft with languid movements. They kiss and when they aren't kissing, their eyes are locked. Bass swears he's never had this much eye contact during sex before in his life.

But then, this is more than sex. He knows it. He's pretty sure she knows it too.

Her nipples drag up and down his chest as she rides. He loves the way her body envelops him, the way he fits so perfectly inside her, the way she looks at him as if he has hung the moon.

Bass strokes Charlie's thighs and ass as she moves. He can feel her body quivering as she closes in on another orgasm. He reaches between them, stroking her clit until she comes apart. He follows soon after, emptying into her core.

"Why the fuck did we wait so long to do this?" he whispers against her hair.

"No idea." She says with a contented smile.

She almost tells him she loves him, but she's afraid that revelation will scare him away.

He almost tells her he loves her, but he's afraid it's too early.

If either of them knew that this was going to be the one and only night they'd ever share, they would have probably done things differently. It's difficult though, to fully understand what's going on when you are in the middle of a promising beginning. It's almost impossible in that moment of hope and excitement to grasp the possibility that it might also be the end.

Later Charlie will wonder why she took him for granted for all those months after she realized he meant something to her. She will kick herself for waiting so long to show him how she felt. She will wonder why she had always thought him immortal.

Humans aren't immortal.

We all die.

Bass Monroe is no exception.

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 **A/N: Chap two will be posted tomorrow. A very special thank you to Iceonfire7 and WildIrish for reviewing this story in advance and providing fabulous and helpful feedback. Please comment if you have a moment. -Lemon**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Time Marches On  
** (Charlie's 40th Birthday - Willoughby Texas - The year is 2047)

Charlie is sitting on her front porch, enjoying a soft morning breeze and her third cup of coffee when a friendly Golden Retriever named Zep trots up, a slim piece of wood clamped between his teeth. The dog presses the wood into Charlie's outstretched palm. They both know the drill. She reads the note carved into the wood, and smiles. Aaron has summoned her for a visit.

"I'll be right back." She says to the dog. "Wait for me and we'll walk together."

Zep nods, as if he's something more than a dog - which of course, he is. Zeppelin (Zep for short) is Aaron's pet and constant companion. Although he looks like your garden variety canine, Zep also just happens to be what is left of the Nano – the good parts, that is. The rest had ceased to exist somewhere in Idaho years ago.

This bit of artificial intelligence that was left behind had followed its creator around for months after the war was over. In the beginning, it had appeared as a series of people Aaron had loved and lost over the years. It took the form of a friendly canine after Aaron had screamed at it to "Stop following me around like a dog, damn it!" one day when he was at his wit's end.

The Nano, it seems (the good parts anyway) had developed a sense of humor. After the switch from human to animal form, it was just a matter of time till Zep wore Aaron down with his adorable charm, becoming his best friend. It didn't hurt that Zep also allows Aaron to have power from time to time, to work on little projects. This has kept Aaron busy and mostly happy. He is a lonely man, cherishing his experiments, his canine companion and visits from his few remaining friends.

Charlie comes back outside, and pats Zep on the head lightly before they begin the walk to Aaron's. He and his 'almost' dog live in a house at the top of a hill just outside of Willoughby. It's only a mile away from Charlie's house. She, in turn, lives next door to Miles. They had lost so much and so many over the years, it had become imperative that they stayed close to one another. They are family, after all.

The way is familiar and the road is smooth. It takes Charlie and her traveling companion only minutes to get to their destination. As they approach the small cottage that Aaron calls home, Zep lets out a series of short and long barks. The front door opens with a creek, revealing a frail Aaron Pittman who grins at them from where he leans against the doorframe. "What do you think?"

"You have him using Morse Code now?" Charlie asks with a laugh.

Aaron nods, standing aside as Charlie enters, "It's better than when he talks. Even after all these years that shit still creeps me out."

"I'm really glad that he only ever talked to you." She says with a laugh. Her laugh fades as she watches her old friend walk carefully into the dining room of his cozy home. Aaron is weak these days and seeing him like this makes Charlie sad. Gone is the husky and strapping Aaron she remembers best. As age and grief and arthritis have taken their toll, he has become almost a caricature of himself. These days he is boney and grey, his beard now white as snow. He still sports the black framed glasses and his smile is still warm. He's still Aaron, even if he does look different.

They settle into chairs around the table. Zep curls at his master's feet and Aaron grins at his visitor. "Happy birthday Charlie."

"Thanks Aaron." She nods, her own smile is faint. "Forty. Never figured I'd make it this far."

"Tell me about it. I'll be sixty-two in August, assuming I make it to August." He shrugs as if the thought of his own death is both inevitable and unimportant. Zep whines until Aaron pats his head absently.

"Miles is a little ahead of you, and he's still plugging along. Don't worry Aaron, you have lots of years left." She smiles warmly, but in her heart she fears she might be wrong. Aaron isn't looking very good these days.

He waves his hands at her, "Let's not talk about that. I made cake and I have a present for you."

"You shouldn't get me presents. You know I don't need much, but I do like the idea of cake."

"Well, Zep and I worked on this present together." He says, pushing a small box her way before cutting slices for them both from the lopsided cake on the table.

She takes the present hesitantly. It is the size and shape of a small, thin book, and that's what she assumes it is. Peeling off the brown paper, she is surprised to see her gift is not a book at all. "Maggie had one sort of like this." She stares at is blankly for a moment, "Okay Aaron, I don't get it. Why did you give me a phone? Is there something you aren't telling me? Is Zep giving us power or telephone lines?"

Aaron shakes his head, "No, Zep still only gives power to me and only on a limited basis – same as always, but this is an exception I guess. It sort of has power, but doesn't need a battery like the old phones did. You will be the power source."

"I'm going to power a phone?" she sounds skeptical.

He points to the thing in her hand, "Yeah, but it's not a phone. Not really." Aaron is almost giddy with expectation. "Put your palm on the screen."

She cocks an eyebrow with curiosity, but does as he asks. The 'phone' lights up under her touch and she pulls her hand back. She glances down at the pale blue screen and then back at Aaron, "What am I missing?" she asks, confused.

Aaron shakes his head, "You have to prime it, I guess."

"What does that mean?"

"Think about…. your Dad." He says expectantly.

"Okay?"

"Now look."

Charlie glances down and almost drops the phone. There, clear as day, is a color photo of her father. The image is so crisp, so detailed, it's like he's right here with her. "How?" she asks, a catch in her voice.

"I loaded some pictures from my memory into the device. Zep is finding images from your own memory as we sit here, and he's loading those while we talk. You can think of as a photo album I guess, but the pictures are coming from your remembered experiences instead of a camera. Think about Danny next."

She does as he suggests, and once again the screen fills – this time it is the smiling face of her brother that is displayed on the small screen. The image is so vivid, she feels as if she's stepped back in time. Tears are streaming down her cheeks now, "Aaron, this is amazing." The pictures are coming faster. More of Danny and her Dad. Some of her Mom and Maggie and Nora. There are pictures of her Grandpa and Priscilla. There are also pictures of Miles. Lots of pictures of Miles – some from when her Mom was still around, some newer ones where he's with his (much younger) current girlfriend.

And Willa.

Charlie grins at the pictures of her daughter, starting when she was just a toddler, all the way through to her current self at almost seventeen. "This is perfect."

"It is, isn't it?" He's very proud of himself. "Who else? You can think of anyone alive or dead - and they'll appear." Aaron watches as Charlie looks at the phone again. In moments she sits the phone down carefully, burying her head in her hands. Charlie's shoulders are shaking as she sobs quietly. Concerned, Aaron reaches over and picks up the phone. He can't imagine whose image would cause her such grief. He sees the face displayed and feels a shiver.

"Monroe?" he asks, surprised. "Why does a picture of Monroe make you cry more than seeing your parents or Danny or…" he trails off as mental puzzle pieces begin to fall into place. "Oh." He whispers.

Charlie collects herself and taking a shuddering breath, picks up the phone again. He watches as she strokes a fingertip down the glass over the scruffy jaw in the image.

"So I'm almost dead, Charlie. You're running out of opportunities to tell me the truth."

"The truth?" Her voice sounds like it's coming from very far away.

"You and Monroe? Something was there between you? How did I not know this?"

"Hardly anybody knew, Aaron. It didn't last long and it was all so long ago."

"Come on Charlie. Humor an old man. I want details." He pauses when she looks up, smirking through her tears. "No. Not those kinds of details. Geesh."

Charlie takes a deep breath, "I loved him. I was even naive enough to believe I had a chance with him. Stupid right? He'd been living on borrowed time for years."

"How did things end with you?"

"Well, we finally admitted there was an attraction. For me it was much more than that, but I don't know for sure how he felt. About five minutes after we realized the feeling was mutual, we acted on it. We said our goodbyes the next morning and I never saw him again."

"When was this?" Aaron looks distracted.

"The last time I saw Bass?" It was the morning after Texas declared war on the Patriots. He was going to ask Miles to help him look for Connor. He was worried because Connor was off with Neville. Bass just wanted to find his son and bring him back. He promised that when all that was over with, he would come back for me. He always used to come back for me…."

"But not that time."

"No. It's hard to come back from the dead. Neville killed both Bass and Connor just a few days after that." Her voice is hollow, her eyes distant.

Aaron nods slowly, finally understanding, "That's why Miles killed Neville…the way he did."

"Yes. Miles and Bass had their moments. They had fought with each other and even tried to kill each other, but down deep they were still brothers."

"So it was revenge?" Aaron asks.

"And guilt. Even after all these years, Miles still hasn't forgiven himself, you know?"

"How was any of what happened to Bass, Miles's fault?"

Charlie speaks softly, still staring at the image in her hand, "After he left me that morning, Bass did find Miles, just as he'd planned. Miles did agree to go with him in his hunt for Connor, but then as they were leaving town, they got into a big fight and Miles told Bass to go on his own."

"And then Neville…"

"Yes."

"Shit." Aaron says under his breath.

"Yeah, shit." She agrees.

"And not long after Miles got rid of Neville you told us you were pregnant?"

"Yes."

"And everyone assumed she was Connor's kid?"

"Yes."

"But she wasn't?" Aaron asks softly.

Charlie doesn't respond at first, staring into space and biting her lip. "No. She wasn't. She isn't."

"You never told anyone?"

"Miles knew. That's sort of what the two of them were fighting about – well, not the baby. Nobody knew about that yet. Bass told Miles that he cared for me. That maybe he was even falling for me. He told Miles that he thought I felt the same way. He said he wanted to try to make something work between us…"

"And Miles probably didn't take that well."

"No. As you might expect, the news was not something he wanted to hear – not then. He pitched a fit, hit Bass, yelled at him and then stormed off."

"And Monroe went off on his own?"

"Yeah. Later Miles decided maybe he'd overreacted, but by then it was too late. You know, it was Miles's idea to say Connor was Willa's dad. He said it would make any Bass resemblance easier to explain, but I think more than that - he was afraid Mom would no nuts, or you know - more nuts - if she knew the truth."

"Not a totally unreasonable fear."

Charlie nods, "Well, anyway, Miles cooled down eventually. He said he thought about it and decided that there were worse things than me and Bass together. He went looking for Bass a couple days after they had fought. That's when he found Bass and Connor…their bodies. It was really awful Aaron. You've heard the stories?"

Aaron shudders as memories pour in, "Yeah. I know about that. The Nano was experimenting again, but with death, and the experiments were brutal… and Miles's response was also…."

"Brutal? Yeah, when he finally tracked Neville down…he didn't hold back."

"That's when everyone started calling him 'the butcher' again…"

"Yeah. Miles wasn't happy about the Butcher reputation returning, but he didn't regret what he did. I think it was his way of apologizing to Bass. It was his way of avenging his best friend's death." She is silent for a few moments before continuing, "I think Bass would have approved."

Aaron remembers Monroe before he was their friend. Yes, the General would have approved.

Charlie forges on, "Afterwards, Miles completely lost it. Losing his best friend, like that, and wondering how he maybe could have stopped it from happening if he hadn't been a jerk…well, it tore him apart. I think his plan was to track down Neville and kill him, and then he was going to kill himself. He was just barely hanging on when I discovered I was pregnant. I wasn't much more than a zombie myself, but knowing a part of Bass would live on…well that helped me. It eventually helped Miles too. We made it through together."

"And then there was the Patriot War to fight?"

"Yeah, and I got sidelined for most of that one because of my pregnancy, but Willa was almost a year old when we headed to Idaho…and the other war."

"That I remember." Thoughts of Priscilla swirl through Aaron's mind, and he realizes the same must be happening for Charlie. They both glance down at her phone, and there is his wife's face. "I miss her so much." He whispers.

"I know. " Charlie answers, and for the first time Aaron realizes that she does know. Few people can truly understand that kind of loss. They both know it well.

"I thought about telling everyone the truth about who Willa's father was a few times, but Idaho was so awful and fighting the Nano – no offence Zep…" she pats the dog's head lightly, "took so much out of us. After a while it just became a moot point. Willa was six by the time we got back to Texas. Bass and Connor were both long dead. It didn't even matter which one was Willa's dad at that point. Why muddy the waters with everyone?"

"Does she know?"

"Willa? Yes. I told her a long time ago. She knows all of it. I won't ever keep secrets from her Aaron. I won't ever be my own mother."

Aaron frowns, "Hey, cut your mom some slack, Charlie. She had her own demons to fight. She screwed up a lot, but hell, she was my friend. I can count the good ones I've had on my right hand."

"Sorry. We did get along toward the end."

"She was very grateful for that. I know."

They eat cake in silence. Occasionally Aaron feeds a bite to Zep. Charlie stares at the picture of Bass on her phone.

"Charlie, what do you know about time travel?"

"Other than that it's not real?" She laughs, "Nothing."

"What if I told you that wasn't entirely true?"

"What do you mean?" She wonders if maybe Aaron is becoming senile, but when he smiles at her, his eyes are clear.

"Come with me."

Charlie follows the thin old man and his dog as they slowly make their way through the back door, across the back yard, and into Aaron's barn. Charlie has been in the barn on a couple of occasions, so she's prepared for the sterile lab that waits inside. It's true that the Nano didn't restore power to the whole world, but it did make it available to its master Aaron Pittman.

The walls and floor are white stone. Along one wall is a row of tables topped with computer monitors and intricate devices that Charlie wouldn't even know how to describe. There are chalkboards and corkboards covered with scribbles and scraps of paper. In the middle of the room is something new.

"What is that?" she asks, slowly walking toward the blue rectangular box.

"Do you remember when I used to tell you stories about Doctor Who?" he asks with a grin.

"Sure, back in Wisconsin. He was a time lord, had two hearts?" She shrugs at the distant memories.

"Well, I built my very own TARDIS." At her blank look he sighs, "You know? Bigger on the inside?"

"Oh, yeah the TARDIS… um, it was his spaceship, right?"

He chuckles, "Yes, a space ship, among other things, but most importantly for today… for you…it was… it is… a time machine."

"A time machine?" She asks, her fingers tightening around the magic phone in her hand. "What are you saying, Aaron?"

"I'm saying that Zep and I have been building a lot more than phones out here in my lab. We've built a machine that I know for a fact, can successfully travel back through time - maybe even to a time before Bass died."

"I don't understand." Charlie is suddenly lightheaded. Surely he doesn't mean…

Aaron puts his free hand on Charlie's shoulder, "I'm saying maybe, and it's a big fucking maybe. Maybe you can go back and warn him. Maybe you can save him. Maybe you can bring him back."

 **A/N: Chapter three coming your way tomorrow. Comment if you have a moment.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: A Glimmer of Hope  
** (Charlie's 40th Birthday (part 2) - Willoughby Texas - The year is 2047)

Charlie is looking at the phone again. The picture she keeps going back to is from their last night together. Bass is smiling. His blue eyes are sparkling. Her breath catches as she thinks about what Aaron has proposed – traveling back in time to save Bass.

She finally breaks the silence, "So, how would it work, exactly?"

"Well, there are rules Charlie. We'd have to know precisely the right date and location to go back to, for one. And you can't run into the younger version of yourself because one or both of you might cease to exist. Also when you come back, you can't bring back anybody that could possibly already be here in this time."

"So I can't bring back a younger version of Aaron Pittman?"

He shakes his head with a little smile, "No.

"But Bass?"

"I don't know… he might not survive the trip. I've never even tried to bring anyone back."

"Not even Priscilla?"

"No. I've visited her, though she didn't know I was there. I never wanted to bring her back. I'm a crazy old man now. She died when she was still pretty young. Too weird." He shakes his head.

Charlie thinks about the years that have passed, "I'm forty. Bass would be… sixty-five if he were still alive. But back in 2029 he'd be 44 or something. If I went back I'd be the age I am now?"

"Yeah."

"The age difference wouldn't be an issue anymore." She chuckles nervously, as the enormity of this conversation takes hold. Can she really do this? Is it possible? Does she even want to?

She wants to.

Charlie takes a shaky breath. "Could I take Willa? If I couldn't get him to come back, maybe he could at least meet her?"

"You can take anyone as long as they don't see an early version of themselves. I don't think you'll want Willa near young Charlie if you are going back during the time you would have been pregnant. I don't know how that would work."

She looks into Aaron's eyes. "Do you really think we can bring him back?"

"In theory, yeah… I think so, but he'll need to WANT to come back. Assuming you are able to save him, he may want to live out his life in his own time…with the other you." Aaron pats her hand supportively. He knows this has to be very difficult for her.

She nods, understanding. "Either way…I'd have a chance to get him back."

"I think so, yeah."

* * *

Willa Matheson is smart and strong. She is breathtakingly beautiful with long golden curls, luscious curves and piercing blue eyes. She is stubborn and clever. Today, she is also pissed.

She aims her crossbow carefully, a little smile playing at her full lips.

The teenage boy squirms but his movements are limited by the arrow in the tree just above his head. A chunk of his hair is caught in it. This is not the most concerning arrow, and not currently even one he's thinking about. It is the arrow between his legs that has pinned his pants to the tree that has him worried.

"I think you nicked my balls, Willa. Jesus." He whines, sheer terror in his expression.

"Well," she says, grinning now, "I am a very good shot regardless of how small the target is."

"Come on, I didn't mean anything by it…."

Charlie comes to stand beside her daughter, arms crossed and head tilted as she watches the boy squirm. "What did he do?"

"He touched my ass." Willa says, her grin long gone.

"So where is the next arrow going?" Charlie asks Willa, trying not to laugh.

"Oh fuck!" the boy yells, "Please Ms. Matheson, don't let her shoot me. I'm sorry. It was an accident."

"You _accidently_ touched my ass?" Willa tightens her grip on the bow.

Charlie shakes her head, "This isn't looking good for you, Michael."

"I swear to God I'll never do it again. Please Willa, give me another chance."

"That's probably enough. I think he's crying." Charlie says, unable to hide her smile.

Willa shrugs, lowering her bow. "I guess you can have a second chance, Michael, but mark my words – it is the only second chance you get from me. Ever."

"Th-thank you." He says before yanking the arrows from where they were imbedded and tossing them down on the ground. He turns to head home, but can't help himself. Michael takes a deep breath and looks over his shoulder at the two beautiful women standing behind him. His heart thumps wildly in his chest.

Nicked balls or not, touching Willa Matheson's ass had been worth it. "See you tomorrow Willa." He says with a flirtatious smile before running off into the woods.

"That was a little extreme, wasn't it?" Charlie asks with a smirk. "Thought you liked that one."

"I do like that one." Willa grins at her Mom, "But nobody touches my ass unless I say they can."

"That's my girl." Charlie pats her daughter on the shoulder. "I need to talk to you. Got a few minutes?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"Aaron gave me a present for my birthday."

"What was it?" Willa asks absently.

Charlie stops, and puts a hand on Willa's arm. Willa stops as well, turning to her Mom, unable to read the expression on her face.

Charlie takes a deep breath, "This." She says, holding out a small smooth rectangle.

"What is it?" Willa is curious, but more because of her mother's reaction to the thing than the thing itself – whatever it is.

"Pictures….you should sit down, I think."

They come to a crumbling stone wall and sit. Charlie touches the screen, and speaks softly, "That is your Grandpa – my Dad, Ben Matheson."

Willa stares at the smiling man in the picture. "Wow. How did Aaron…?"

Charlie shakes her head, "Not important." She nods to the thing again, "My brother Danny."

Willa's eyes fly back to the screen and she sees a laughing blond boy about her own age. "Shit." She whispers.

Charlie just nods. Then she leads her daughter through the others, one by one. Here and there she tells a quick story to remind Willa who these people were.

"Grandma!" Willa says, tears in her eyes as she sees a photo of Rachel. "Oh God. Grandma."

Connor's boyish grin fills the screen and Willa looks up curiously, "Who's that?"

"The brother you never met. That's Connor."

Willa nods, inspecting her brother's face. "Wow." She says quietly.

Charlie is fighting tears. She'd told herself she would be strong for this, but it is very difficult. "There's one more you need to see."

Willa looks down and she knows without being told. "This is my Dad… This is Bass Monroe?"

"Yes." Charlie's vision blurs as she hugs her daughter close. "That is your Dad."

Willa pulls away again, her eyes glued to the image in the phone. "I have his eyes." She says, choking up a little.

"Yeah you do, and his stubborn streak and his hot temper."

"And here I thought I got my stubborn streak from you?" Willa smiles through her tears.

Charlie straightens her shoulders and takes a deep breath, "Would you like to maybe meet him?"

"What does that even mean?" Willa asks with wide eyes, wiping away tears. She hates crying. Usually Willa is strong, but seeing the face of her father for the very first time has shaken her. "I don't understand."

Charlie stands, "We need to talk to Miles. Then we need to make some decisions. Trust me?"

"Of course."

* * *

Miles rubs his temples before running shaky fingers through thick silver hair. "So, you're serious?" He stares at Charlie and then moves his gaze to Aaron. Willa is here too, leaning against the far wall in a stance so reminiscent of her father, Miles shakes his head to clear the thoughts of his old friend. "This will work?"

Aaron nods, "The TARDIS works. I've used it."

"Oh, stop calling it that." Miles growls, standing to pace. His gait is stiff because he's been sitting for a little while. "You know how much I hate science fiction... Doctor Fucking Who, my ass."

Zep whines, moving to cower behind Aaron. The Nano-dog never has been completely comfortable around Miles. The feeling is mutual.

"We need to know when and where you found their bodies, Miles. In order to set the coordinates correctly, we have to know where they should go..."

"They?" Miles's eyes are wide. "They? Charlie and Willa? No. No. You have got to be kidding me. No. Willa can't go there. Charlie can't go there!" His voice is rising with each word. "If the timing is off, and they see what happened…If they see…" he trails off as his voice cracks. "They can't… Can't." His eyes are unfocused now as he remembers a time and a place he'd hoped was behind him for good.

Charlie moves to him then, enveloping him in a familiar embrace, holding him as his shoulders begin to shake. It doesn't matter that almost twenty years have passed. This grief… this guilt… it isn't something that will ever fade completely. Willa bites her lip, looking away from the pain that pours off the two people she loves most in the world.

Aaron looks away as well, getting a grip on his own emotions before turning back to them. He takes a deep breath, "Yeah, but Miles, what if we get the timing _right_?"

Miles looks up then, staring into Aaron's eyes. Aaron has never seen pain so raw. Miles's voice is low, "You really think you can bring him back?"

"Yeah. I think we can."

Miles wipes at his eyes, "Get me something I can write on. I'll make you a map."

* * *

Two hours have passed. Miles and Aaron are going over the details for the tenth time. They have pored over the map Miles had drawn. Aaron has been scrawling notes in a little book. The two grey haired men are not young, but there is an aura of youthful hope in their conversation.

Charlie and Willa are sitting on an old couch on the other side of the room. Willa's voice is almost a whisper, "Tell me again Mom. Tell me what he was like…" She's holding Aaron's magic phone, fixating on a particular picture of Bass Monroe. His hair is disheveled and he is smirking.

"Your father," Charlie says in a faraway voice, "was the most infuriating man I ever met. I hated him and wanted nothing more than for him to die, but then things changed. He saved me. And after that, nothing was ever the same."

"Did you love him?"

"Not in the beginning. Not even in the middle. One day I tolerated him and the next day I felt my heart beat faster when I saw him walk into camp. I don't know how other people fall in love, Willa. For me, it was all at once for no particular reason at all."

"What did you do?"

"I panicked." Charlie smiles at the memory, "I wasn't supposed to love Monroe. I was supposed to hate him. We were fighting on the same side most of the time, but we were far from being friends. We were certainly not more than friends."

"Until you were."

"Until we were."

Willa smiles dreamily. She has always thought her parents' story – though terribly tragic – was also incredibly beautiful. "Did he love you as much as you loved him?"

Charlie's smile wavers, "I have no idea, but I'd like to think so."

"Maybe now you can ask him." Willa says, snuggling close into her mother's embrace. Together, they look at the photograph of the late Sebastian Monroe, and they both feel a very faint stirring of hope.

* * *

"Are you ready to go over the plan one last time?" Miles asks. He is clearly worried and anxious, but also excited.

"Yes. We're ready." Charlie nods.

"You're going to a small village about four miles outside Arnette, Texas. That is where Neville and Connor had set up camp. They got there the night that Texas declared war on the Patriots. They were there for two days and two nights where nothing happened. You need to get there during that two day period. Bass was in Arnette on the third day. I'm not sure where he was before that…wandering around looking for Connor is my guess. He found Neville's camp on the morning of the fourth day."

"And Connor."

"Yes, Connor was dead or really close to it when Bass found him. We don't know what caused Nano Neville to turn on Connor, but we are guessing Connor had decided to go back to Willoughby. Connor had a weapon drawn when he died. When Bass found him, he was devastated of course, and fell to his knees next to his son. He might have thought he could save him. He was at the very least trying to hold him. Bass was distraught… he didn't hear Nano-Neville when he came up behind…"

"How do you know all this if they were both already gone when you got there?" Willa asks softly.

Miles doesn't speak for a while. When he does, his voice is hollow, "I found Neville a month or so after we buried Bass and Connor. I convinced him – or the thing inside him - to talk to me. He…they… required a lot of persuading. Eventually the Nano couldn't take it anymore and left him. That's when Neville talked."

"He must have talked a lot." Aaron says.

"Son of a bitch was proud of what he and the Nano had done. Was bragging…" Miles says with a haunted gleam in his eye. "Yeah, he was downright chatty at the end – right up till I cut out his tongue."

Aaron shivers, very glad to have made it this far in life without ever getting on Miles Matheson's bad side. He has a thought that brings him up short, "Is that when you figured out how to drive the Nano from a human host?"

"Yeah. It was all in the eyes. Without vision, the Nano got uncomfortable during a fight. It was a fluke really that I figured it out, but it sure came in handy later."

"Yes it did." Aaron nods, his face pale.

"I don't get it." Willa says, "This Neville guy… he was possessed with the Nano, and that's how he was able to sneak up on my Dad. But if the Nano was so crazy lethal, how did you sneak up on it?" She tilts her head and looks at Miles with those blue eyes that make him miss his best friend more than anything. "Were you that much better of a fighter than he was?"

"I was no better than your Dad, Kid. In fact, we were best when we were together. In the end I got lucky. The only reason I got the drop on that son of a bitch Nano-Neville, was that he was lying in the sun like a salamander, listening to Michael Jackson on an old boom box he'd powered up himself. His eyes were closed and he was wearing headphones. The first thing I did was put a bag over his head. After that it was kind of easy."

"What song?" Aaron asks wistfully.

Miles cracks a smile, glad for a reprieve from the depressing memories. "Billie Jean. He was listening to Billie Jean."

Willa moves toward her uncle, "I don't know Michael Jackson, and I don't know Billie Jean, but I know that I want to be the one to kill him this time. Tell me how."

Charlie has sat quietly, but she looks up now with steely determination, "No."

"But Mom, that asshole killed my Dad."

"That asshole stole my future from me and tortured the man I love. If we have to kill him a third time, he's all yours. This time though…this time it's my turn, Willa."

Sometimes Willa struggles to align her own memories and impressions of her Mother with the legends that abound. When they had returned from Idaho, Willa had still been little. She remembers well enough how people had cowered away from her Mom and her uncle after hearing all that they had done to defeat the Nano. For years, there had been whispers everywhere they went. That had faded in time, as people chose to put the past behind them and focus on a present where the Mathesons were just another family – albeit one that still demanded respect.

Willa forgets sometimes that her Mother was once a ruthless soldier. She is reminded of that truth in this moment when she sees the cold rage in her Mom's blue eyes. In this expression, she sees a glimpse of that other Charlie – the one who slaughtered the enemy at her uncle's side all those years ago. Nodding, Willa steps back. "No problem Mom. Neville is all yours."

Miles turns to Charlie then, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You remember how you have to kill him? He'll be possessed when you get there. Go in fast. Don't waste time talking. Just kill that fucker and find Bass."

Charlie nods. "I remember. Of course I remember." Her eyes are vacant as she recalls all the people like Neville – possessed by the Nano – who they'd killed in Idaho.

"What about Connor?" Aaron asks. "Will he try to protect Tom?"

Miles shakes his head, "No way. Connor was with Neville because he was pissed at Bass. That's all."

Willa breaks in, "I can take care of keeping Connor out of the way."

Charlie looks at her daughter with a perfect mix of fear for her safety and awe at her courage. Willa is sometimes so like her father that Charlie's heart aches. This moment is one of them. Willa's jaw is locked in determination. Her lips are pursed. Charlie nods, "You keep Connor busy for five minutes. I'll do the rest."

"No." Miles shakes his head, "This should be me. I should be the one killing Neville and saving Bass."

Willa snorts, "Thought you said we'd have to move fast? Your fast days are long gone Uncle Miles."

Miles sighs and sits back down heavily, rubbing firmly at his trick knee. "Ah shit. You're right."

Aaron raises his hand to get their attention, "If it helps any Miles, Zep is going too."

"What? Why?" Charlie asks.

"Remember Tom is possessed by the Nano. He'll know you're coming as soon as you are close. He'll read your thoughts and he'll soak up your memoires. If he knows the way the wars are won, everything may change. That goes for any other Nanobots that will be around Willoughby at the time. We didn't know till much later how many there were. Zep will stay close and will scramble all their signals. Tom won't know you're even there until it's too late."

Miles reluctantly nods to the dog, "Finally, I see why he keeps you around."

* * *

 **A/N: Chapter 4 will be posted tomorrow! I love your comments... More please?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: How The Fuck Drunk Am I?  
** (Time Traveling from 2047 to 2029)

The next morning dawns cool and clear. Charlie and Willa meet with Miles and Aaron next to the TARDIS which has been moved to a grassy space just outside of Aaron's research barn. Zep sits quietly at Aaron's feet.

The wind whips at Miles's grey hair. He squints a little and tilts his head, "You sure?" he asks Charlie.

"Yeah. I can't not go, not if there's a chance."

She smiles at Miles and his heart melts. It's been so long since he saw that smile. "Ah, I knew you wouldn't change your mind, but I had to check."

"Let's go." Willa says. She's bouncing on the balls of her feet, clearly excited to get the show on the road.

"Wait." Miles says. "I have something for you, Charlie." He pulls two envelopes from his jacket pocket. "This one is for Bass. This other one – well, it's for me. Younger me." He clarifies.

Charlie takes the envelopes and notices the seal on the back with the old Monroe Republic 'M' stamped into the wax. "You don't want me to read these, huh?"

"Let's just say that if either of them doubts your story, you can give them these letters and they won't doubt you anymore."

"Are these why you look so tired? Were you up all night writing letters?"

Miles chuckles, "Maybe."

Charlie nods and tucks the letters into her pack. "Thanks Miles. Love you."

He pulls her into his arms for a big hug. "Love you too Kid. Take care of yourself, and Willa too. We need you guys to come back no matter what else happens, okay?"

"We'll come back. I promise." She pats Miles on the shoulder and then turns to Aaron, "Any parting advice?"

"Not that I haven't already given you." He grins, "You're going to do fine Charlie."

Willa follows her Mom's lead, giving both men a hug and saying her goodbyes. They've already stowed their weapons, packs and bedrolls in the time machine. Zep understands that the time has come to leave. He looks up at Aaron carefully before barking out a quick succession of short and long yelps.

"I'll be fine." Aaron answers, rubbing the dog behind one ear. "I promise. Now go. They need you."

Zep walks toward the TARDIS, following Charlie and Willa inside. The door closes behind them and Charlie takes a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." She says as she pushes the button on the console which Aaron has promised will get them to where (and when) they need to go.

There is a swishing noise and the structure shakes a little, then there is silence and all is still. "Was that it?" Willa asks, underwhelmed.

Charlie shrugs, but Zep barks an affirmative and walks to the door where he waits patiently for Charlie to slide it open. They look out onto a gloomy day. A soft rain is falling and the air is cool. Both women put on jackets before picking up their things and walking out into the dreary mist.

Charlie and Willa have gone over their plan several times and they know exactly where they are and where they need to go next. Exchanging a knowing glance they begin to walk without speaking. Zep leads, his ears pinned back against his damp fur, fully alert.

All three watch carefully as they climb the hill which is all that separates them from Neville's camp. They hear the men arguing before they see them. The words are indistinguishable, but Charlie's heart begins to pound. That voice. She hasn't heard that voice in so long. Connor.

They make their way down the slope toward the ramshackle shed that serves as Neville's current hiding place. The rain is falling harder now, and they watch from behind a thicket of small trees as Connor stomps out of the shed and heads into the woods. He looks frustrated with his hands buried deep in his pocket, staring at the ground. Charlie motions in Connor's direction and Willa nods. She reaches out and grasps her Mom's hand for just a moment. The two share a look before Willa lets go and heads after her brother.

Charlie removes a dagger from its sheath on her belt and says a silent prayer. Zep rubs against her calf, big brown eyes watching her. She clicks softly with her tongue and Zep starts toward the shed slowly. When they get to the porch, the Nano-dog doesn't hesitate. He purposefully walks up the rickety steps and through the sagging door.

Charlie hears Neville's curious, "Where did you come from?"

She carefully follows Zep's steps, making no noise. She peeks into the dingy interior and sees Zep in the far corner. He is staring up at Neville, whose back is to the door. The dog's eyes now are an eerie green and Neville is mesmerized. "WHAT are you?" he mutters softly, reaching out as if to pet the animal.

Charlie knows this is her window of opportunity. She remembers Miles's instructions to act quickly and not waste even a moment. She recalls Aaron's assurance that Zep will keep Neville's Nano signals confused so that he won't notice her approach. More than anything she reminds herself of all the things this man did to Bass in that other timeline. She takes four quick steps and places the dagger at Neville's throat. He moves with uncanny speed, anticipating her presence at the last possible moment. Charlie is focused but not fast enough to finish the job. Neville grabs her arm, holding it in a vice like grip. She feels a moment of sheer panic, but then Zep takes over, launching himself through the air. The dog's teeth sink into the soft flesh of Tom Neville's throat and in moments the man is on the ground. Zep keeps the man down, but looks at Charlie, his eyes still a glowing green. He is giving her the chance to finish this.

Charlie doesn't hesitate, thrusting the dagger deep into Tom Neville's chest. His eyes focus on her for just a moment, going wide in surprise. "Charlie." He whispers. Her name is followed by a bloody bubble as he expires at her feet.

Zep is once again at her side, looking up at her with adoring brown eyes. She rubs behind his ears and his tail thumps steadily. His tongue lolls out of his mouth in a happy pant, the fur around his jaws still dripping with Tom Neville's blood. "Good boy." She says with a grin. "Good boy."

"What the hell is your deal, woman?" Charlie hears Connor and smiles as his voice grows louder. He's shoved unceremoniously into the shed, followed by Willa who has her crossbow trained at the back of his head. He stops short when he sees Tom's body lying on the floor. "Oh shit." He mutters before looking up. His eyes meet Charlie's and he does a double take. "Charlie? Is that you?"

She nods, taking in his curly black hair and rumpled clothes. She can't help herself. She rushes forward and pulls him into a hug. "It's so good to see you."

"Uh…" Connor looks beyond confused, and slightly terrified. "Why are you hugging me? Why is Tom dead? Why is the crazy blond pointing her bow at me and why the FUCK do you look so much older?" His questions tumble out of his mouth in a rush as he yanks away from her, backing against a wall.

"I hugged you because I haven't seen you in, well, in a long time. Tom is dead because he was an evil bastard. The crazy blond is Willa, and I look older because – because I'm older." She answers with a shrug. Charlie looks to Willa, "Did I miss anything?"

"Nope. You answered all his questions."

"Oh, I have more. Lots more." Connor stammers. "What do you mean you're older?"

"Well, it's a long story. How about we get out of here? You want to take a walk?"

"In the rain?"

"Would you rather stay here with Neville's corpse?"

"A walk is fine." He says, his face going pale as he glances down at Tom again.

They walk toward the town of Arnette which is just a few miles away. Slowly the rain clears and the sun comes out, drying them as they walk. Charlie begins to tell him a story. It's crazy and at first he simply doesn't believe her, but gradually he begins to see it for what it is – the truth.

"So you're from the future?"

"Yep."

"And in the future, I'm dead and my Dad is dead and you are old, but still…" he looks Charlie up and down, "still really sexy…and you hang out with a crossbow wielding hottie sidekick?" he glances over at Willa and flashes his most charming smile.

Charlie snorts back a laugh as Willa steps closer to Connor. The girl's eyes narrow to slits. "I'm nobody's sidekick, but I am your sister, you sick fuck, so watch your mouth."

Connor visibly pales and his eyes widen. "What? There is no way you're my sister."

"She's telling you the truth, Connor. Willa is your sister. Well, your half-sister. Your Dad and I – we finally figured out our issues, just in time for him to get his sorry ass killed."

"Your issues?" he looks back and forth between the two women. They stare at him evenly with the same piercing blue gaze. Charlie still looks really good, but Willa is prettier than Charlie ever had been. Her hair is curlier and blonder. She has a bigger rack…. Connor shakes his head. Shit. If she's his sister, he can NOT be thinking about her rack. "So you and my Dad?"

Charlie nods, "Yep, me and your Dad."

"I knew it." He says with a frown, beginning to walk again. "When we hooked up in Vegas, you really wanted him all along. "

Charlie smiles, "Yeah, I just didn't realize it right away."

"God, that's gross." Willa says with a little shudder. "I can't believe you slept with my Mom."

"Hey. It was not gross." Connor pouts.

"Whatever. I can't believe anyone thought you were my Dad though. I look nothing like you."

Charlie frowns, "Telling people that Connor was your Dad seemed like a good idea at the time. My Mom wouldn't have handled the truth very well."

"Your Mom?" Connor prods, sensing the news isn't good.

"Dead. Same with my Grandpa and Priscilla. Miles and Aaron are still around though they don't get around as fast as they used to."

"Jesus. This is all so freaking weird."

"Tell me about it." Willa says.

* * *

Bass Monroe is very drunk. He's in a shit hole of a bar, sitting on a barstool that has a wobbly leg. He doesn't care. It fits his mood. He's been looking for Connor for a couple days now and is starting to get truly discouraged. His kid is off somewhere with Neville and who knows what that crazy bastard has Connor involved in.

Knowing that Miles is mad at Bass makes everything even worse.

He takes another deep drink, trying to focus on happier thoughts. He smiles a little to himself, remembering the other night with Charlie. She is amazing. He only wishes that they hadn't waited so long to explore how they feel. They have so much wasted time to make up for.

He can hardly wait until he can see her again. She is in Austin right now with her Grandpa and Rachel, but they should all be back in a few days. Bass hopes he can find Connor and work out his differences with his son. Then he hopes he can find Miles and work through their problems. He sighs. That's a lot of problems that need to be worked through before Charlie returns.

Once she's back, he wants nothing more than to spend quality time with her, preferably locked up in a room with a great big bed.

* * *

By the time Charlie, Willa and Connor reach Arnette, Connor fully believes their story. He glances Charlie's way, "So what now?"

"Well, we know that Bass stayed here in Arnette for his last two nights while he was looking for you in the area. I need to find him." Charlie's voice sounds shaky even to her own ears. She needs to get a grip, but knowing that Bass is here somewhere makes her heart pound and her palms go clammy.

"Do you know where he's at?" Willa asks.

They've reached the main street where they see an old general store flanked by two bars. One of the bars is some sort of hang out for soldiers and shady looking guys in suits if the folks hanging out in front are any indication. The second is a dive bar. A hand-painted sign that advertises cheap beer has been nailed over a broken window. Connor and Charlie exchange a glance. "That one." Charlie says, pointing to the dive.

Connor nods, but looks nervous. "Hey guys, the last time I saw my Dad, uh… I sort of let Neville shoot at him."

"What a dick." Willa says with a smirk.

He scowls at her, "Whatever. I'm not ready to face him. Not yet, okay?"

Charlie nods, "No problem. I want to see him alone anyway. You two go to the other bar and wait."

"Are you sure, Mom?"

"Yep. I'm sure." Charlie and Willa exchange a look that speaks volumes. Willa is dying to meet her Dad of course, but she knows this is her Mom's time with him. She'll get her chance later.

Willa turns and puts her arm through Connor's. "Come on Bro. Let's bond over whiskey and make fun of the locals."

Connor laughs and follows her lead. It's weird to suddenly have a sister, but he likes Willa. "Sounds like fun."

Charlie smiles, watching as they walk arm in arm toward their destination. She takes a deep breath as she turns toward the other bar.

Zep looks up at her with his big warm eyes. She kneels at his side just outside of the bar. "Stay, Zep." He responds by sitting on his haunches and barking once. She smiles, "Good boy."

When she enters the dingy space, she sees Bass instantly. He's sitting at the bar, staring into a glass of something dark. Her breath catches as she takes in his messy curls and leather jacket. He's more beautiful even than she remembers. Seeing him after all these years makes her knees go wobbly, but she suddenly feels wildly self-conscious. She's not twenty-two anymore. He was with a much younger version of her days ago. What if he doesn't like this older Charlie?

As she watches, a busty blond wanders over and leans in close to Bass. Charlie feels a bolt of jealousy surge through, but it subsides quickly when Bass brushes the blond off without even looking at her.

The girl flounces away with a pout, as Charlie sits down on the barstool next to Bass and orders a whiskey. At the sound of her voice, Bass's head jerks up. He smiles when he sees her, but his smile fades quickly, "Charlie? You look….different." he asks, unsure. "How the fuck drunk am I?"

"Pretty drunk I think but yeah, it's me."

He tilts his head curiously, "Nope. Not Charlie…she's in Austin."

"Bass, it's really me."

"Nope, you are almost Charlie, but not quite… She's in Austin, and she's younger than you."

"No, I'm all the way Charlie, but yeah. I probably do look older."

"I don't understand." He runs a hand along his scruffy jaw. His eyes take her in nervously.

"Is there somewhere that we can talk?" She asks.

"Aren't we talking now?"

"Somewhere else?"

"I have a room."

She nods. "Good. Let's go there."

He stands, taking a step closer to where she sits. Tentatively, he reaches out and touches her cheek. The feel of his fingers on her skin stirs something inside her that she thought was long dead. Charlie closes her eyes, allowing him to touch her face.

He pulls his hand away suddenly. "Did Miles put you up to this? Is it some kind of test?"

"No. Miles didn't put me up to anything."

"Miles?" He yells out, his eyes still on hers. Customers turn his way curiously but nobody answers.

Charlie arches an eyebrow. "I told you. He has nothing to do with this. He's not here. Come on. Let's go. We need to talk."

"Okay fine. We'll talk. That's all. You may look like her, but you're not her. I don't care what Miles is paying you. She's too important to me. I am not going to screw up what I have with her for whatever this is…. Not even if you are hot."

She grins, "We'll talk. That's all. I promise."

Bass leads the way and Charlie follows him up a creaky staircase to a second level. Sunlight streams through dirty windows as they walk down a long hall. Eventually they get to a door that Bass pushes open. The room is simple. There is a narrow bed, a wash stand and an old straight back chair.

"Sit down." She says, wondering how to even start. Telling Connor the story hadn't been too bad, but she hadn't cared if he believed her. Not really. With Bass, she can't think of anything she cares about more.

"You remember Aaron?" She asks when he sits down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm not that drunk. I talked to Staypuft less than a week ago."

She nods, smiling at the long forgotten nickname. "Well, he's sort of the reason I'm here. He built a time machine, and –"

Bass stands. "Get out. I don't have time for a crazy Charlie doppelganger. I need some sleep." He lies down on his back then, staring at the ceiling.

She watches him in silence for a minute, "Do you remember when those guys drugged me in that bar? You came in and saved my life…the next day we argued and you said that you were going to follow me. You said that I didn't have a choice."

He lifts his head to look at her, "Did your homework, I guess." He mutters before putting his head back down.

"Well, you don't have a choice this time either. You need to listen to what I have to say." She sits next to where he lies on the bed. His eyes are closed and she takes this opportunity to drink in the sight of him.

"Fine. Tell me all about Staypuft's time machine." His words are laced with sarcasm, but at least he's willing to hear her out.

She takes a deep breath, "This morning I said goodbye to Miles and Aaron. They are both in their sixties now. Aaron hasn't been doing great. You wouldn't even recognize him. He's really frail and his hair is white. Miles has aged nicely. He calls himself the Silver Fox." She chuckles at this, glancing at Bass.

He's watching her now, intrigued.

"What about me?" he asks, humoring her. "Am I a Silver Fox too?"

"No." She shakes her head. "You are dead in my time. You have been for a long time. Connor too, and my Mom and Grandpa. Priscilla. All dead."

"Dead, huh?" he clearly doesn't believe her. "How did I die?"

"You were hunting for Connor and when you finally found him, it was too late. Neville had killed him."

Bass sits up, scooting back against the headboard. "Neville killed Connor?"

Charlie nods, "And you too. He killed both of you."

"Well, that proves you're full of shit. No way could Neville get the drop on me."

"Maybe not normal Neville, but when this happened, he was possessed with the Nano. That gave him abilities and skills he would not have ever had otherwise."

Bass just shakes his head, clearly not buying any of it, "When does all this happen?" he asks.

"Tomorrow." Her voice is shaky and she doesn't meet his eyes, "It would have happened tomorrow."

"But?"

"But the first thing I did when I got here was kill Neville myself. Connor is safe, and so are you….from Neville anyway."

"So SuperNanoNeville was able to kill Connor and ME, but you were able to kill him?" he cocks an eyebrow dubiously.

"Well, I had help. It's a long story."

"Yeah, sounds like it." He's rubbing his temples now. "Miles, enough of this shit. Bring out the real Charlie."

"I am the real Charlie."

"I don't believe you. " He shakes his head.

"How about if I tell you some things only she would know?" Charlie reaches out and touches the scruff on his chin, "Like the first time you kissed me? We were in that Willoughby bar. The war had just started…."

She watches as Bass swallows. His eyes never leave hers.

"And we left that bar and spent the night together…. First you took me slowly on the bed. The second time was rougher, and up against the wall. The last time you were sitting with your back to the headboard just like you are right now. I rode your cock and kissed you and you came inside me… it was so deep and so hot. And afterwards you said something to me. Do you remember?"

His eyes are different now. He may still not be ready to admit it out loud, but he knows its her. "Of course I remember... It was just a few days ago."

"Well for me it was almost twenty years ago, but I also remember. I remember it well. You said, "Well why the fuck have we waited so long to do this?"

"I don't…" he shakes his head. He's trying to wrap his head around all of this. It's not easy.

Charlie remembers Miles's parting words and reaches into her pack. "Here." She hands him the thinner of the two letters. It says 'Bass' on the front. "Miles – my Miles that is, the Silver Fox – sent this for you. He said that he could make you believe my story even if I couldn't. Read it. I'll be at the other bar with Connor."

"Connor is with you now? He's okay?"

Charlie nods, "Yeah, he's okay. I think he's ready to play nice. Come over when you're ready."

Charlie stands and walks to the door. She looks back. Bass is sitting on the edge of the bed now, his boots flat on the floor. He's staring at the letter, a finger shakily tracing over the M stamped into the wax seal. He looks up and she can tell he's coming around. She nods, "Take your time." Quietly she lets herself out.

* * *

Willa and Connor have warmed up to each other nicely. When Charlie finds them, they are laughing over drinks and clearly having a good time. She smiles as she makes her way to their table. "Hey guys." She says.

"How did it go?" Willa asks.

"Well, he thinks I'm part of some elaborate prank. I left him the letter Miles had written. Hopefully that helps." She shrugs. "We'll see."

Connor and Willa pick up where they left off. They've been making fun of the other customers, and clearly they share the same twisted sense of humor. Charlie smiles absently, but she is a nervous wreck as she watches the door. How long will it take for him to read the letter? Will he believe it? Will he even come over here or will he just leave? She is starting to regret leaving before he read the letter when the door bangs open, and there he is.

Bass's eyes search her out immediately, and she can tell that he believes her now. Whatever Miles had written in the letter must have worked. He walks straight over, ignoring both Connor and Willa. He stops in front of her, and she can tell he's sober now as well. His eyes are clear. She stands. He's looking at her like she's a revelation and when she stands he pulls her into his arms. "I'm sorry." He whispers into her ear. "I believe you now." His voice sounds shaky and when they pull apart, she sees his eyes are wet.

Charlie can't find words, but nods. "I've missed you." She says finally. His hands are on her face again. He's exploring her as if she's a mystery that he needs to solve, tracing the small lines around her eyes.

They pull apart when Connor clears his throat. "Hi Dad." He says.

Bass looks at Connor and feels relief. His son is okay. "Connor." He smiles. Even though they'd not parted on good terms, knowing what he knows could have happened next puts everything into perspective for Bass. He pulls Connor to his feet and hugs him tightly as well. "I'm sorry that I lied to you about the Republic. I'm sorry for all of it. I don't want to lose you, okay?"

Connor thinks they probably still have a lot to talk through, but knows now isn't the time. "Yeah, Dad. I'm sorry too. Neville is dead, you know. Old Charlie killed him."

Bass nods. "She told me, but don't call her old." He frowns at his son, and then he glances at Willa, noticing her for the first time. His breath catches. The girl is beautiful, but there's something about her…. "Angie." He says in a whisper.

"Who's Angie?" Willa asks. Her eyes are wide as she looks up at her father, seeing him in the flesh for the first time.

"Angie was my sister. You look a lot like she did… a lot." He looks from her to Charlie and then to Connor. Clearly he is confused and becoming emotional. This is all a lot to take in.

"Genetics are weird." The girl says. "A lot of people say I look like my Mom."

"Who is your Mom?" Bass asks, but in his heart he knows.

"Charlotte Matheson." Willa answers, standing slowly.

He feels the tears that are now falling down his cheeks. "Who is your Dad?' he asks, knowing the answer before she says it out loud.

"Angie's brother." She says in response, her own eyes filling with tears.

"Oh shit." Bass says, wiping at his eyes. He looks at Charlie. She nods. His eyes are drawn back to his daughter. He can't stop looking at her. "What is your name?"

"Willa Matheson." She says quietly.

"Willa?" he takes a shaky step closer.

Charlie smiles softly, "Her name was inspired by Willoughby. That was the last place I ever saw you. It was my little way of keeping you close even though you were gone."

He looks at Charlie and sees so much emotion in her eyes. They will have a lot to talk about for sure, but right now he needs something. His eyes are on Willa again, "I don't know what the rules are here, but can I give you a hug?" he asks.

Willa nods and rushes into her Dad's arms without further prodding. They are both openly crying now. Connor snorts. "Shit. You never got this excited when you met me."

"Well," Charlie says with a smirk, "Willa isn't trying to sell him to the highest bidder or beat him to death with a whip. That might make a difference."

Connor sees the truth in what Charlie is saying, and leans back in his chair watching his Dad and his sister. Bass has pulled away but still has his arms around Willa. He is soaking up all of her features, amazed that this beautiful girl is his. He turns to Charlie, "So that night, that first night…"

"It was the only night Bass. I never saw you again. By the time I realized I was pregnant, you were dead and gone."

* * *

 **A/N Chapter 5 coming your way tomorrow! Thanks to each and every person who has read, commented or sent me a private message. This story is one that really means a lot to me and knowing that it is working for some of you out there? Well, that makes my day. Thanks.**

 **Also, I know you probably have a ton of questions now that the time travel stuff has started. Patience! :) All will be revealed (slowly) in the next chapters.**

 **Comment please. I adore hearing your thoughts.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Reunited  
** (2029)

It's almost mid-day, so Charlie, Bass, Connor and Willa settle in at a corner table and order food. Over bowls of beef stew, they talk. Bass has a million questions and so does Willa. Connor is a little bit jealous at first, but as he watches his dad and sister interact, he starts to loosen up. It's really difficult not to like Willa. She is tough like Charlie and has Bass's sense of humor. She curses like a sailor, or more accurately – a crusty old Marine named Miles, and seems to have also soaked up her great uncle's sarcastic wit.

Charlie hasn't said much since they'd all sat down. Instead, she watches and listens. Time and again she finds her eyes drawn to Bass, soaking in his presence. She laughs at the stories he's sharing with his children. Now and then he catches her eye and her heart pounds. Even after all these years, there is still that same undeniable pull between them.

Charlie gets up from the table to settle their tab. She's standing at the bar when she feels him move in close at her back. Bass leans down and kisses her cheek softly. "Thank you." He whispers.

When she turns, she sees that his eyes are wet again.

"For what?" she asks, placing a hand on his chest. She revels in the fact that she can feel his heart beat through the thin fabric of his shirt.

"For Willa…for all that you've done… she is amazing…I just wish you didn't have to raise her alone. It couldn't have been easy." His arm is now wrapped loosely around Charlie's waist, but his eyes are on their daughter.

"I wasn't alone." Charlie says absently, also looking at Willa. She feels Bass's withdrawal and looks up at him. He wears a pained expression.

"Of course you weren't. I'm an idiot." He runs a hand through his curls. "You found somebody else."

Charlie shakes her head, "That's not what I mean. I didn't… I mean… It was Miles and Aaron and in the beginning it was also my Mom. They helped me, so I never felt like I was doing it alone."

"Oh." Bass is clearly relieved and moves in close again. "I'm glad you had them. I'm just sorry I missed it…any of it."

"Yeah. Me too." She has a sudden thought and digs Aaron's phone from her pocket. "Want to see pictures?"

"You mean that thing works? Is the power back on where you come from?"

She shakes her head, "The Nano lets Aaron have power from time to time. That's about it. But yeah, it works, although its not a phone." Charlie presses her hand to the screen, closes her eyes and remembers. She remembers the first blush of pregnancy and her swollen belly. She remembers childbirth and holding her tiny screaming baby in her arms for the first time. She recalls the sleepless nights and the first golden curls. She remembers tiny chubby feet taking wobbly first steps and then the memories are flying through her head. The fall from a tree where Willa broke her arm. Her eighth birthday party where Aaron had arranged fireworks. Her first crush. Her first heartbreak.

Charlie opens her eyes and hands him the phone. "Here. That should do it." She watches as he sees the slideshow of the years he'd missed. At some point she can tell he's holding his breath, trying to soak up every image into his head. Tears are rolling again, but these are silent. "These are your memories?" he asks, his voice cracking. "You're sharing your memories with me?"

Charlie nods, her own eyes brimming as well. "They were really good memories. I'm glad I can share them with you."

Connor walks up then, wildly aware that he's interrupting a 'moment', but feeling it must be done. "Willa and I have been talking. We think we need to find Miles, and it's going to be dark soon. We should get going. It will take us a few hours to walk there."

Bass looks at his son, "You hate Miles. What's up?"

Connor frowns, "Knowing that you're supposed to be dead brings some perspective that nothing else can. Besides, Willa has been telling me how great he's been all these years. Maybe I was wrong about him?"

"No maybe about it." Bass says with a nod. "And it's a good idea. We should go see him." Connor is right. They need to move.

Before they part, Bass hands Charlie the phone again. "Can I see that again sometime?"

"Yeah. Of course. You can use it to relive memories of your own too. You can see your parents, your sisters, Shelly…"

His eyes bore into hers, "Shelly? How do you…. Oh, Miles?"

They start to walk toward the door, trailing behind Connor and Willa. Charlie nods, "I struggled there for a while. Miles always knew you were Willa's father. Everyone else thought it was Connor. I was depressed and scared and very pregnant. Miles started telling me stories about you. They seemed to calm me down and after a while that was the only way I could get to sleep at night. Some of the stories were about you guys as kids. Others were from the Marines. The day he told me about Shelly was about a week before I gave birth. He realized immediately that maybe it was the wrong story to tell me just then, but I wasn't mad. His heart was in the right place."

"And childbirth? When Willa was born…everything was okay?" Bass is struggling with the thought of Charlie going through that alone.

"It hurt like a bitch, but Miles held my hand the whole time. He kept telling me I was doing a good job and that you would be proud of me."

"He was right on both counts." Bass says squeezing her hand before they head out the door.

* * *

Willa falls into step next to her father and continues her earlier barrage of questions. He seems a little dazed but amused and does his best to answer them all.

Connor and Charlie walk in silence twenty feet behind the others.

"So, Willa and Dad sure have hit it off."

"Yeah. I'm glad. She is so much like him in so many ways." Charlie watches. She is happy for them but she also feels a lurking jealousy. Part of her wants to take Bass somewhere private and keep him all to herself.

Connor runs a hand through his hair, "It's pretty weird."

"Which part?" She smirks.

"All of it. You are Rachel's age right now, but I remember sleeping with you last year when you were younger than me… but then also you are the Mom of the sister I didn't know I had who is either twenty six years younger than me… or nine years younger at the moment… but who hasn't actually been born yet… oh and I'm supposed to be dead…"

"A lot to take in I guess." She chuckles.

"So, what happens now?" Connor asks. "Do you guys go back? Are you staying here?"

Charlie feels her gut tighten. This is the topic she dreads the most, "Well, your Dad and I need to talk about that."

* * *

As they near Miles's place, Bass slows them all down. "I need to do this. He's just not going to believe you. I'll show him that letter you gave me, and talk to him for a while..."

Charlie pulls a second thicker letter from her pack. "No, give him this one. Miles wrote it for himself."

Bass notes the wax seal that had also been on his own letter. He swallows with difficulty. "I'll be out as soon as I can. Hang out here on the porch."

They agree, and take a seat. Connor pulls some apples from his pack and hands them around. Willa shares a bottle of whiskey from her own pack. The three sit in silence, eating and drinking.

Occasionally they hear a muffled burst of conversation or a bark of laughter. Then for a while, they hear nothing.

"Do you think they fell asleep?" Willa asks. She's looking pretty sleepy herself. It's been a long day.

Charlie is ready to go in and check when the screen door flings open and the Silver Fox appears – except of course he's not silver, not here. He's younger and stronger and he is the Miles that Charlie remembers from long ago.

"It's you?" he asks, his voice uneven. He turns to Willa, "And she's your…?"

"Yeah, Miles. It's me." She shrugs and begins to cry as he walks to her and pulls her into a tight embrace. They both turn to look at Willa, "And this is my daughter. Bass's daughter. Miles, I want you to meet Willa."

* * *

Charlie and Miles go for a walk. Miles wants to know everything and frankly wants Charlie to himself for a bit. She and Bass have been staring at each other non-stop, and Miles wants her full attention.

Back at Miles's house, Willa and Bass are eating dinner at the kitchen table. They are still talking. Willa doesn't seem to know how to stop asking questions. She wants to know everything. Bass holds up a hand, "Enough about me, Willa. Tell me about you. Tell me about your life."

Willa switches gears easily, sharing about herself. She tells him about school, her love of hunting, the books she's read and her favorite place to fish. She tells him about Michael, the boy back home who she likes. Bass finds that being an overprotective father is as instinctual as breathing, and swears to himself that the boy had better never hurt his baby.

Willa tells him that they have lived near Willoughby since coming back from Idaho and the Nano war. She tells him about the house she lives in with her Mom. She tells him that they live next door to Miles and not far from Aaron. She tells him that their dog is more than just a dog. Bass breaks out in a cold sweat when she says Zep is actually the Nano, but he calms down when she explains that the bad part of the Nano is long gone in her world.

"And your Mom? Tell me about her." He's been dying to ask, but had held back.

"She's tough. In the Nano war, she and Miles obliterated the Nano. They had some help of course, but they led the charge. Even after all these years, people in town cower when she speaks up in council meetings. I think they're all afraid she'll lop off their head with one of her swords."

"Swords?" he asks, surprised. "She was pretty attached to her bow when I knew her."

"She gave that to me – her bow, I mean. She has one too, but she carries the swords anytime she thinks there could be real danger. They're too big for her really, but well…"

"What?"

"Well, they were yours. Miles gave them to her after you died. Neville had just left them with your body." She frowns and looks away. "I don't want to talk about that. It isn't going to happen now anyway."

Bass's mind is reeling. Charlie had been a kick ass soldier in Idaho and had done at least some of that ass kicking with his swords. He shakes his head. This day has been full of revelations. He thinks that his head might explode if he learns more.

Willa places a hand on his to get his attention, "I always knew you were my Dad. She told me who you were a long time ago. She and Miles were always telling me stories about you…or about you and her or you and him. She never said it out loud to me but I knew she never stopped loving you."

He isn't sure how to respond to that, so he skirts Willa's statement carefully, "She never married?"

"No. Not even close. She never even dated that I know of. Men asked – well the brave ones did. She would always just smile this sad little smile and say no."

They fall into a comfortable silence then, both lost in their own thoughts. After a while Willa says she's going to find Connor. Bass wants to talk to Charlie but she isn't back yet and he needs to think. He grabs a bottle and goes out by a tree and sits, leaning against it.

Bass takes a deep drink and closes his eyes. He loves Charlie. He's known it for a while…but this is daunting. He's loved her – well, a younger version of her – for a few months. She has evidently loved him and only him for eighteen years. He feels inadequate and unworthy.

"Hey."

Charlie is here now, standing over him with the moonlight streaming through her hair. She's still Charlie, but an older, harder version. She's tougher, sexier. Her edges are rougher. He can see the warrior in her now. She exudes a strength that had only just begun to bloom when he'd seen her last.

Yes, Charlie is tougher, but he remembers the way she had looked at their daughter – how her eyes had gone all soft. Tender Charlie is still in there, she's just wearing mental armor. He gets it. After what she's gone through, she needs to tread carefully.

"Hey." he finally says back. "How does this work now? What happens next?"

Charlie takes a deep breath and then sits next to him – not touching, but close. "It's up to you. You get to live now… so you can talk to…. Charlie, when she gets back. Hopefully you will be nice to her and maybe when she figures out she's pregnant, you two can make things work. She loves you. Very much. If you think you could feel the same way… maybe you two could give it a shot. You could watch your daughter grow into a young woman. Connor can be the doting older brother. You and she will be happy, maybe. Hopefully you'll be with her on her fortieth birthday. Maybe she won't celebrate alone with an aging Aaron Pittman and his time machine."

He thinks about this for a moment. "You're forty now?"

She nods.

"So if you….the other you, and I worked things out – when younger Charlie turns forty, I'll be… sixty-five?"

"Yeah."

"Assuming I live that long. My grandpa died at sixty-two of a heart attack. My Dad didn't die of natural causes, but he didn't make it to sixty-five."

"There are no promises, Bass. If you choose to stay with her, you may have a wonderful long life with her, or maybe you won't. There is no way to know." She shrugs.

"You keep saying 'she and her'?"

Charlie leans back on her palms, staring up into the night sky. "Well, she feels like a different person to me. The pain she went through when she lost you… and everything with Willa and of course the Nano war – well all those things made her who she became. Me."

They sit in silence, both completely lost in thought.

Finally Bass speaks, "So I could stay with her, or… I feel like there's an 'or'?"

Charlie doesn't answer for a long time, and when she does, her voice is soft, "OR you and Connor can come back with Willa and I and we can see if we can make this work in a world where we are almost the same age. You will have missed out on Willa's first seventeen years…. But you'd still be young enough to watch her for the next twenty, thirty or maybe forty years. That is an opportunity you won't have if you are sixty-five when I'm forty."

"What about Miles?"

"He's there. Lives next door to Willa and me. Has a girlfriend my age." Bass snorts at this and Charlie smiles. "He stopped drinking when Mom got sick. He's been sober for ten years now. He's cantankerous and sarcastic, but healthy as a horse. He'd love to see you… but would give you a lot of hell for looking younger than he does."

"So, your Mom?"

"Died when Willa was seven. We'd only been back in Texas a few months when Mom got sick. The doctor thought it was probably cancer, but whatever it was it went fast. She was gone six months after she started complaining of pain."

"Do you want to see her while you're here?"

She shakes her head. No. "Those wounds are healed, but that only happened after she got sick."

He understands. "I guess I have a lot to think about."

"Yeah, you do." She gets up. "Don't wait too long though, okay? Willa and I will leave tomorrow at dawn. She… I mean I - younger me... whatever, will be back with Grandpa and Mom tomorrow morning sometime. Aaron said he doesn't think that she and I can be in the same space…and since she's pregnant with Willa, we don't want to take any chances with Willa. We're going to have to go back."

"I need to talk to Connor. And maybe Miles." Bass runs a hand through his hair. Everything is so crazy and his mind is whirling.

"Well, you'll want to see Willa again too. She's staying here at Miles' with Connor tonight. Something about getting to know her big brother before we go back." Charlie shrugs.

"Where will you be?"

Charlie looks away, unable to meet his eyes, "I'll be staying at the rooming house in town."

"The one where we…"

"Yeah." And then she walks away. He watches until she is swallowed by darkness.

* * *

Bass walks around Willoughby for a while, deep in thought. Finally, he makes his way back to Miles's house. He wants to talk to his brother.

He hears the laughter and walks to the window of the dining room and watches from the shadows. Bass's kids (it's crazy to think of them that way, but it's exactly who they are) are sitting at the kitchen table. They are drinking whiskey from pint jars and playing cards and laughing as if they've known each other their whole lives. Bass takes a step closer so that he can hear the conversation through the slightly open window.

"So you like it here in Willoughby?" Willa asks.

Connor sighs, "I hate it here. The only reason I ever stuck around was for my… our Dad. He promised me something once. That thing isn't going to happen though, and now I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to go back to Mexico, so I guess I'll stick around for a while longer. I want to try to work things out with Dad. We've had a rough relationship."

"Well, at least you have a relationship with him. I have a feeling that Mom and I are going to go back and this will all just feel like a dream. I wish I could know him better. Mom is always saying how alike we are."

They are quiet for a few moments, then Connor lays his cards down thoughtfully, "She really loves him, doesn't she? After all these years?"

Willa sighs, "You know what she said to me once? She said love is strange. Sometimes it's obvious and easy and she said maybe the easy love doesn't always stick. She said other times love is slow and painful and a struggle, but she said this slow love can soak in so completely that your whole being is saturated with it. She told me they never said the words, but that she knew she loved him and that she was pretty sure he loved her too. She said even if he didn't…her heart was so full of HIM, that there was never going to be room for anybody else."

Connor shakes his head, "Shit. Can you even imagine loving someone that long without seeing him even once?"

Bass turns away without letting them know he's been there. He'll talk to Miles later. Right now, he has somewhere he needs to be.

* * *

"What room sir?" The man behind the desk looks familiar, although Bass has to admit to himself that he wasn't paying much attention when he'd been here with young Charlie the week before. It might be the same guy, or maybe not.

"Sorry. I don't know what room she's in. Her name is Charlie Matheson."

The old geezer runs his eyes over the hand written ledger and shakes his head, "Nope. Nobody by that name is checked in."

Bass feels a jolt of fear. What if she went somewhere else? She's leaving in the morning. He has to see her.

"Sir?" The old man is trying to get Bass's attention.

"Yeah?"

"The last time you were here, you were with uh…your wife? Well, I don't know who you are looking for tonight, but another woman, maybe your wife's older sister? She's staying here tonight. She used the same name even."

"Grant?" Bass asks, relief flooding into his bones.

The old guy nods, "Yep, Mrs. Ulysses S Grant is in room six."

"Thanks." Before the guy can say more, Bass is moving past the check in counter and up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

* * *

Bass's heart is pounding as he knocks on the door to room six. He hears a muffled, "Come in," and slowly opens the door.

The room is bathed in warm candlelight. She's waiting, perched on the edge of the bed. She's wearing a grey tank top and black panties and that is all. She looks amazing.

"I came to talk." Bass says, but his cock thinks he's here for something else entirely.

Charlie stands and walks slowly toward him, "Can we talk later Bass? Because I know it's just been a few days for you, but it's been 18 years for me and I need to feel you inside me one more time."

"One more time?" Her words are only half sinking through his suddenly lust addled brain. "What do you mean?"

"I know you're going to stay with her. Why wouldn't you?" The sadness in her eyes tears at his heart and he wants to comfort her more than he's ever wanted anything in his life.

He starts to speak but Charlie presses a finger to his lips, "Please Bass? Will you do this one thing for me? I need you tonight." She leans up on tip toes and replaces her finger with her mouth, kissing him softly.

He agrees without words, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her close to deepen the kiss. There is a moment where Bass worries that this thing with Future Charlie might somehow make him unfaithful to Current Charlie? As they kiss, the thought fades away because she tastes like Charlie. She kisses like Charlie. Past, present, future… none of it matters. This is Charlie and no way is he saying no to her.

He runs his hands softly over her curves, exploring the changes that eighteen years have brought. Her breasts are fuller, her hips slightly wider. There are new scars, and he wants to know how and why and whose ass he should kick for hurting her, but this isn't the time. His fingers stroke across heated skin, memorizing the feel of her flesh.

She is both softer and yet more muscular and he doesn't know how that's possible, but it is. He bends low, kissing the very slight swell of her belly, knowing its curve is evidence of the life she'd carried inside years before. This amazing woman is the mother of his child.

She is precious and beautiful.

She is perfect.

They touch and re-learn each other in total silence as the candle light casts flickering shadows around the room.

Charlie is nervous in the beginning. She's self-conscious of the way her body has changed. She's aware that just a week ago, he was with a much younger version of it and she wonders if he cringes at the scars and the extra pounds and the wrinkles that have come over time.

But he isn't cringing. Her worry fades as she notes the gentle intensity with which he holds her and touches her and worships her with his eyes. She is a new continent he wants to explore, and yet she is also familiar and known. The whole experience seems surreal and yet as his fingers move and probe, she finds that it is not so surreal after all.

This is reality and Charlie has never felt so alive.

Slowly, they find their way to the bed. They continue to take their time. This is not to be rushed or taken lightly. They both recognize the importance…the weight…of this moment.

By the time Bass moves to settle between her thighs, they are both beyond ready. She is wet and willing. He is hard and throbbing. Pushing slowly into her heat, Bass is shocked at the tightness. "Damn Charlie." He mutters, willing himself to go slow.

"Sorry." She pants. "Like I said, it's been a while."

Bass had assumed Willa was exaggerating about Charlie saying no when men came around. He had figured Charlie would have found a lover at the very least even if she didn't want more. His eyes burn into hers, "You haven't since…?"

She shakes her head. "Didn't want anyone else, Bass. Only you."

He kisses her mouth softly, sliding his tongue between her lips with the same slow pace he uses to ease his cock into her tight sheath.

They move together as if this is what they were born to do. Neither speaks with words, but their eyes lock and hold as the mutual tension builds and coils. They come together, still joined and breathing heavily. Bass pulls out as if he hates the thought of ever leaving the shelter of her core. She misses him the moment he's separated, but she knows what this means. She'd asked for this and he'd given it to her.

"You probably want to go." She says, her voice a whisper.

"Not just yet." He says, pulling her close, spooning her from behind. They fall asleep like that, curled around each other, hearts beating as one.

* * *

Charlie wakes alone. The night outside the window is still full black, but if they are going to leave at dawn, she still has a lot to do to get ready.

She remembers the last time she woke up in this rooming house…also alone. That time she was full of hope after a night of loving and long conversations. This time, she is sad but also content. Even if she never sees him again…she is glad they had one more night.

She stands and walks toward a chair where her pack is. Her clit is still tender. Her pussy is sore. She leans down to grab her jeans which have fallen to the floor and as she does, she feels his seed sliding down her inner thigh. She loves the feel of it – the guilty dirty pleasure of it. Absently she rubs at the M brand on her wrist. So many ways she has been marked as his. This is just one more to add to the list.

She's dressed and ready to head out the door when she sees an envelope propped on his pillow. She tucks it into a pocket without reading it.

There will be time for reading his goodbye later.

* * *

 **A/N: Chapter six will be posted tomorrow! Comment if you have a moment.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Decisions & Consequences **  
(traveling from 2029 to 2047)

As agreed, Charlie meets Miles near the TARDIS before sunlight fills the sky. Willa and Zep are off to the side, waiting. Zep seems eager to leave. Willa is trying to fight back tears as she watches the road, hoping that she'll catch a glimpse of her Dad or brother arriving.

The road remains empty.

Miles watches Charlie closely, memorizing the way her face has changed. "Hey Kid, you turned out good." He's so very proud of this woman she's become.

"Thanks Miles." Charlie's smile is sad and she wraps her arms around him. "I owe most of that to you. You were always there for me. Always be there for her, okay?"

"You know I will." He takes a deep breath, "Charlie, tell me again… what do I need to do?"

She takes a deep breath, "Please keep him alive and help them figure out a way to be together. It's going to be hard, and you'll have to deal with Mom." Charlie shudders a bit at that thought "And young Charlie needs to go to Idaho, okay? They will need her there. Make sure she goes. Make sure that Bass lets her go or goes with her, but she has to go. Okay? Promise me, Miles. Charlie has to go with you and Rachel and Aaron. She can't stay here."

He looks unsure. "What happens in Idaho, Charlie?"

She stares at the rising sun in the distance, her expression grave. "Bad things, Miles. Bad things happen there, but Charlie - young Charlie - she has something there that she needs to do. It's important." She sees him hesitate. "Promise me."

"Okay Charlie, I promise, but I don't think he's going to stay."

"He'll stay. Why wouldn't he stay?" For the first time she's unsure.

Miles shakes his head, "Listen, here and now, Bass has a woman he loves who is twenty-five years younger than he is. Rachel is going to try to kill him when she finds out about Willa. There's another damn war to fight - one he now knows he's not needed to win. And you are still you. Still her, but different…better even. You are stronger and more beautiful and fierce. You are the woman we all knew you could be. He loves both versions of you, Charlie, but YOU are his best match. Besides, he's already fallen so hard for Willa. You can see it in the way he looks at her. Charlie, he's not staying."

"Maybe. I don't know." She bites her lip.

"Well, tell me what you need me to do if he doesn't stay here."

Charlie's eyes go wide as if she hasn't even fully considered this possibility. "If he doesn't stay – " She gets choked up remembering the pain and the loss, "Make sure she knows Neville is dead and that you killed him. Make sure she knows that she can't see the bodies because she's going to want to. She isn't going to believe he's gone. You will have to be broken by this because she'll never believe it if you aren't. She needs to see your pain, Miles. When this happened before you were a broken man. You blamed yourself and you were struggling. When you found out I was pregnant you came around a bit. And then on the road to Idaho, you got better." Charlie steps close and puts her hands on his shoulders, "She has to go to Idaho. Do you understand?"

He nods dumbly, realizing this is all really happening.

"When the war there is over – this will be seven years or so from now -you will find a letter and you will give it to her."

"A letter?" Miles is confused.

"Yes. Bass wrote me a letter but never had a chance to give it to me. You put a lot of his things in Grandpa's attic after he died and you didn't go through any of it until we got back from the Nano war. That's when you found my letter." She holds out the folded paper that Bass had given her this morning. She has a second paper in her hand. That one is worn to the point of falling apart. "Miles, this letter got her through a lot. The war… the war is bad, Miles. She has to do things there that break her and this letter that you find when we all get back to Texas -you find it and you give it to her. These words are what will save her. They will bring her out of a terrible and desperate place that the war sends her to. But don't give her the letter until you get back to Texas. Okay? Everything that happens up to that point needs to happen the same way it did the first time, if at all possible."

Miles is shaking his head. This is all too much.

"Try to get her to make up with Mom a little bit. You don't have forever with her, Miles. When Mom starts to complain of stomach aches, take her to a doctor right away, but most importantly, cherish every moment because after that you won't have long. Okay?"

Miles doesn't usually cry easily, but he isn't able to hold back the tears now. This all seems too final. "Okay kid." He says, pulling her into another hug.

The sun is beginning to rise fully as Willa walks over, her expression pained. "Let's go." She says quietly.

Charlie watches the road. They aren't coming.

She hugs Miles one last time. "I love you. I loved you always. That doesn't change. When you are old and grey we will be seeing each other every day. Okay?"

He nods. "Love you too, kid. Listen, there's something you should know. Something I never told you before, but should have..." He wipes at his eyes and holds her gaze. "You saved me Charlie. When I was in that bar in Chicago, I was just barely making it. I was a mess and you came along and you gave me purpose again. You reminded me how important family can be. You mean the world to me. Take care of yourself, okay?"

Charlie nods. Tears are rolling down her cheeks as she envelops him in a tight hug. "I will."

"All right then. Get out of here."

She lets out a long breath and glances toward the road once more. She didn't think he'd come but she did think he'd say good bye.

Willa gives her Uncle Miles a hug and walks into the TARDIS. Charlie is following slowly, staring at the ground and concentrating on taking each step. Her head jerks up when she hears Willa cry out. In a heartbeat, Charlie is inside the time machine with her dagger drawn.

She stops short at the sight before her. Willa hadn't been crying out in fear. It had been excitement. Charlie sees her daughter hugging a grinning Connor near the TARDIS control panel.

And there, leaning against the far wall, as if he owns the place… is Bass.

"You're here." Charlie is lightheaded with relief.

He steps close with a warm smile, "There wasn't much of a choice. I love you. I loved the younger you, but I never thought anything between us could work. That's the reason I didn't act before I did. I always worried about how much younger you were and if you wouldn't regret finding someone your own age. Now, I hate leaving her here. I hate leaving her alone to deal with a baby, but she's not alone. You said so yourself. She has Miles and Rachel and Aaron. And when you did it before - whatever you did - however you did it with Willa, our daughter is amazing. She's perfect."

"Aw, thanks Dad." Willa says with a grin before giving him a hug and then moving back over to Connor.

Bass is looking at Charlie oddly. "You act surprised to see me. Didn't you get my note?"

"I just thought it was the same as the one you wrote before - the letter that you never gave me -the one Miles found and gave me years after you had died…"

"I never left you a note or wrote you a letter before." He looks confused.

Charlie remembers back to the day all those years ago when her Uncle had given her the letter he'd found in Bass's things. She had been drowning in despair. Idaho had taken what was left of her youth and her innocence. Struggling with a precocious six year old and guilt for things she'd had to do in the war… she was lost and not at all sure how to go on. Miles had shown up with that letter - a letter which he claimed had been shoved in a closet all those years ago. That letter had saved her life. It had saved her soul. After that she was able to go on

Charlie looks at Bass, watching his expression carefully, "You didn't write a letter to me -A letter that said how much I meant to you? How much you looked forward to a future with me?"

Bass runs a hand along his jaw, "Charlie, those things are true, but I've never been much of a letter writer."

Realization dawns and Charlie exhales slowly, "Miles must have done it."

"That's my guess."

"So, if you didn't write a letter, what did the note say today?"

He shrugged. "It said, 'I'll see you at dawn. Love Bass.'"

They are smiling when Connor walks over. "Ready to go?" He nods toward his sister at the controls, "She's in a hurry. Actually, I think they both are." Zep barks in agreement from his corner of the TARDIS.

"Just a second." Charlie says and opens the door once more. Miles is still there. His eyes are still misty. "I want my note back. Turns out you'll know what to say when the time comes. Just make her think it's from him."

Miles chuckles. "I figured as much as soon as you said he wrote you a letter. Don't worry kid. I'll write it for you."

She hugs him tight. "Love you Miles."

"Love you Charlie. Now get going."

She walks back to the time machine but turns to face him one more time before boarding, "You have to make sure she goes to Idaho. Remember."

"Jesus Charlie, I remember, but what is it she does in Idaho anyway?"

Charlie hesitates for a moment, "She does a lot of awful things that help win the war, and she does one thing that makes the rest worth it."

"What's that?"

"She saves your sorry ass from getting killed. Make sure she goes with you. Promise?"

"I promise."

Bass comes out. He squeezes Charlie's shoulder as he passes, and walks over to Miles

Miles rolls his eyes with a smirk, "Thought you guys were in a hurry? Charlie and Rachel will be here any minute."

"I know, but I can't go without saying goodbye, or without telling you that I'm sorry for all the shit over the years. You're still my brother. Even when we are separated by all this sci fi time travel bullshit, you are still my best friend and I'm going to miss you."

"Seems like you'll be seeing a much older me in just a few minutes."

"Yeah, I suppose so, but you won't see me for 17 years. You're gonna miss me, Brother."

"Maybe. Now get out of here already."

Bass pulls him into a hug. When he speaks into his brother's ear, his voice is heavy with emotion. "Hey, when you write that letter… tell her it's worth it. All the pain, all the waiting. Because it will be. It is."

"I got it." Miles shoves lightly at his friend, "Now go before we turn into weepy girls here."

Bass enters the spaceship and stands at the door, watching his friend. Their eyes hold for a moment. Decades of memories, both good and bad, pass between them. They nod to each other and then the door to the TARDIS closes and in a moment it is simply…gone.

Miles walks back to his house slowly. He has to be devastated and broken by the time Rachel and Charlie show up. He thinks about having to say goodbye to his best friend…. He thinks about the pain that lies ahead for young Charlie.

His heart clenches. This whole pretending to be broken thing?

It isn't going to be so hard.

* * *

"We're going to land in your time, right?" Connor asks.

Willa nods. "If Aaron did it right, and I'm sure he did - we'll show up not long after we left."

"So, we know when, but I don't know where I guess. Where are we going to be? Where do you live?"

"Willougby of course. We have Great Grandpa Porter's old house. Miles built a place next door after Grandma Rachel died."

Willa pushes the button and there is a subtle whirring sound and then a small thump. "We're here." Willa says with an excited smile.

"Seriously?" Connor asks. "I really expected there would be more to time travel."

The door opens and there stands a skinny old man with a bushy grey beard and big square glasses.

"Staypuft?" Bass asks in disbelief.

Aaron Pittman grins, "Monroe, you son of a bitch. Good to see you alive and well."

Bass grins, "All thanks to your TARDIS knock-off. Thanks for that by the way. It really was bigger on the inside." He pats Aaron's back.

Aaron smiles at Bass happily, "YOU know Doctor Who?"

"Of course I do. The fourth doc was my favorite…."

Willa pushes past her Dad and wraps her arms around Aaron in a gentle hug. "Missed you Aaron. Where's Miles?"

"Sophie was calling for him to help her with something. Said we should all go down there when you got back."

"Who's Sophie?" Bass asks.

"Just Miles's much younger girlfriend. She's a nice gal and has the old Silver Fox wrapped around her little finger." Charlie says with a grin.

Bass laughs at this, wrapping an arm around Charlie's shoulders. "I can relate."

Aaron shakes his head. Watching the two of them together is strange and yet it feels right somehow.

Willa interrupts, "Hey Aaron, I want you to meet my brother. Connor, this is Aaron."

"We've met, but he was so much younger then." Connor is staring. "This is all going to be so weird."

Aaron nods, "Nice to see you again Connor. Welcome to the future."

* * *

They head toward Miles's house. Aaron and Zep are riding in a little scooter (Zep powered, of course). Willa and Connor are walking together, teasing and laughing with each other.

Bass and Charlie bring up the rear. They are holding hands and she's smiling up at him when she asks, "Is it wrong that I want to take you home before we go to Miles' house?"

"No. Not wrong." He smirks, "But they are expecting us..."

They get there and Miles greets Charlie and Willa with a smile. He smacks Connor on the back and then looks over to his best friend. "Charlie did it. She brought you back." Miles had sworn he was going to keep his cool, but seeing Bass alive and well brings tears to his eyes. "Seeing you like this makes me feel older than dirt."

"Well," Bass says, moving closer, "If it's any consolation, older than dirt is a good look for you."

"Shut up you idiot, and give me a hug. Missed you, brother."

"Well, I just saw you a few minutes ago, but I understand why you'd miss me." Bass smirks.

"Last time I saw you..." Miles shakes his head, his expression pained. "Well, it wasn't a few minutes ago. It was closer to twenty years back, and it was awful. Can't tell you how glad I am to see you here - alive and breathing."

Bass nods, a lump in his throat. "And I'm really glad to be here." He goes to this different, older Miles and the two men embrace. Neither is immune to the emotion that exists between them. They've been through too much. Both are wiping at their eyes as they separate. "I need a drink." Bass says.

"I don't do that anymore." Miles says with a laugh, wiping at his eyes.

"Oh, what do you do now?"

A curvy woman with long black hair walks in, "Hi, I'm Sophie. You must be Bass." Her smile is warm and friendly. Her handshake is firm.

Bass glances over at Miles, asking a question with his eyes. Miles nods, smirking. "Yeah, that's what I've been doing."

The group of friends talks for hours, catching up and enjoying this unlikely reunion. Aaron and Zep leave fairly early. Connor and Willa follow soon after. She wants to take her brother to town so that she can introduce him to Michael and some other friends.

Sophie sits on Miles's lap, quietly listening as he, Charlie and Bass reminisce. She smiles without butting in. She dotes on Miles. Clearly she takes good care of him. Sophie couldn't be more different from Rachel if she tried. Bass approves.

Charlie and Bass finally say goodbye and walk the short distance to Charlie's house. As she pushes open the front door, she glances over her shoulder at Bass, "Regrets?"

He smiles slowly, "In general? Hell yeah. About this? About us? Not even one."

* * *

Charlie gets up early the next morning. She kisses Bass's cheek without waking him, dresses and is out the door in minutes. She walks quickly to her destination and once she gets there, she knocks on the door firmly.

Aaron answers with a smile, as if he's been expecting her. "Hi Charlie. Please come in."

They settle in around the familiar old kitchen table. Charlie frowns, "I wanted to ask you something."

"What's on your mind?" Aaron asks.

"Well, I'm so happy to have Bass here in my life again – beyond happy, but I can't help but wonder – "

"Wonder what?"

"What happens to the other Charlie? The younger one? How does this all work? I saved Bass's life, but then I brought him with me, leaving her all alone all over again. I saved him, but then I promptly took him away. What happens to her?"

Aaron smiles, "Don't worry about her. Zep took care of everything. You know, he remembers how torn up you were when you lost Bass that first time. He also knows that it was the Nano that stole Bass from you in the first place. It wasn't Zep that did it exactly, but he still feels guilty, so he decided to help in a way that would mean the least possible suffering for both versions of you."

"I don't understand."

"The TARDIS allows us to move through time and observe anything from any era without changing anything from their timeline or ours. We are merely visitors, usually. You shook things up a bit because you went back to a time before Bass was killed and you killed Tom. When that happened, you split the existing timeline into two. The new one that splintered off was a world where Bass Monroe was not killed by Tom Neville. You saved Bass, but the Bass you saved was the one from that new timeline. Your Bass was still dead – had been dead for eighteen years by the time you killed Neville. That's why even though you just left Bass a few minutes ago, you can still remember grieving over his death almost twenty years ago. That all still happened. When you went back you changed your future, but not your past. The same goes for her. You changed HER future too, but in a different way."

"Oh God." Charlie says, her face going pale. "I took her Bass, didn't I?"

Aaron shrugged, "Technically yes, but that's where Zep stepped in."

"Stepped in how?"

"While you were bringing Bass and Connor here, Zep meddled with things a little. By the time you touched down in Willoughby, another Bass was just finding his son in Arnette – back in Young Charlie's timeline. Together, they will find a dead Neville, and they'll wonder what the hell killed him."

"That's not possible, is it?"

"It shouldn't be, and it wouldn't be in a normal world. Our world stopped being normal a long time ago though. The Nano may have started out as a computer program, but it has evolved. We're dealing with Artificial Intelligence on a level that science fiction writers wouldn't even be able to comprehend. Grace compared it to God once. That's probably not far off."

"So I got the real Bass and she got what? A copy?"

He laughs, "No, it's really him, just a different him. Just like you and young Charlie are the same even though you aren't exactly the same. Zep just gave them back the Bass that should have been there – sort of a clone I guess, of the one you brought back here. He has all of the same history and memories as your Bass, all except for one thing"

"What's that?"

"Her Bass never ran into an older version of Charlie. He never met Willa…."

"But he's really HIM?"

Aaron struggles to explain it in a way that might make sense, but gives up, "Just trust me. You both got a genuine Bass Monroe. Hers stayed there. Yours came here."

"So, while Bass and I are here…another Bass and the younger Charlie are somewhere else – together?"

He nods. "Yeah, and they're happy, Charlie. Everything worked out."

"How do you KNOW it worked out?"

"Well, you see-" Aaron starts to explain but Charlie cuts him off.

"But, wait. Miles saw us. We told him Bass was coming with me to the future. He was going to do all these things to help younger Charlie get through her grief…."

"Well, he didn't have to. When Bass showed up in town with Connor a couple days after Miles had said goodbye to you guys at the TARDIS, Miles assumed that Bass had changed his mind and decided to stay with young Charlie. Luckily he hadn't worked up the nerve to tell Charlie that her Bass was dead yet. Miles took both of them to Idaho when the time came. Charlie still saved Miles. They still won the Nano war. A lot of the rest of it was kind of the same. Remember? You told Miles what to do if Bass left, but you also told him what to do if Bass stayed…"

Charlie is almost numb with the enormity of it all, "Wait, what about my Mom?"

"Lives to be eighty or so in that other timeline, thanks to you warning Miles about her condition. As soon as she started complaining about stomach pain, he took her to a doctor in Austin and they removed some of her stomach. She makes a pretty decent Grandma to all eight of the children that young Charlie and the other Bass have together."

"Bass and I have eight kids?"

"In that timeline yes. Not so many in this one." He smirks knowingly at her.

"What?"

"You're pregnant now, Charlie."

"But I'm forty." Charlie says, stunned.

"Evidently that doesn't matter much with you two. You don't have quite as many child bearing years left as younger Charlie did when she and her Bass got together, but you will do just fine."

Charlie stares at Aaron in wonder, "But how do you know all this?"

"Like I was trying to tell you - Zep and I like to use the TARDIS to visit people sometimes. I've mentioned that I've visited Priscilla on several occasions. I went back and saw my folks once. I've never interacted with them or changed their time lines. Anyway, when I said goodnight to you all last night, I punched in the coordinates and Zep and I went on a little trip of our own, a couple of them actually. It was just like old times – we had fun. I checked in on the other Charlie and Bass and they were doing fine. I also jumped ahead just a bit to see how you guys do here. That's how I know about Grant."

"Grant?"

He points to her belly. "Grant Monroe".

"Wow." Charlie shakes her head, trying to take it all in. "So she gets Bass, and the kids and the happy ending and she never has to deal with the heartbreak of losing him and living all those years alone…." Charlie is surprised to find she's a little bit jealous of that other Charlie.

Aaron's smile fades, "Charlie, think about it. Her Bass is twenty-five years older than she is. She's going to have some lonely years – just not at the beginning."

Charlie presses her fingers to her lips as tears well. The thought of that – of losing Bass again – is almost too much. She hates that the other Charlie will have to go through it but at least she'll have her family. "You said they have children. They are there for her when she needs them?"

"Yes, they are. They definitely are."

* * *

That night Charlie and Bass lie in bed, talking. She fills him in on all that Aaron had told her. Bass is amazed, "So we didn't get just a second chance….we kind of got two of them?"

"Yeah, I guess we did."

He kisses her gently. "I'm glad this is the happy ending I picked. I can't think of anything better than what we have right now."

"What if I told you Aaron visited us in our future, and said we have more children?"

Bass's expression is equally surprised and excited, "We're gonna have another one?"

"Not just one, if Aaron knows what he's talking about." Charlie grins shyly, "In fact, we've already started."

"What do you mean?"

She takes his hand in hers and holds it softly against her belly. "Evidently that rooming house is a good place for us to make babies."

As Bass fully begins to comprehend what Charlie is saying, his smile broadens to a grin and he pulls her close. "God, I love you." Bass just stares at her, eyes wide. Slowly he grins. "So I guess I'll finally get to see one of my kids grow up – maybe more than one." He says with a chuckle, pulling Charlie close.

"Yeah you do." She snuggles into his embrace with a happy sigh.

"Hey, I know it's early but have you thought about names yet?"

"Well – "

"Because if it's a boy, I think we should name him Grant. After all, that's the name we used both times we…"

Charlie laughs against his chest, remembering that Aaron had told her Grant would be their first son's name. "I love it Bass, and I love you. I'm glad this is the happy ending you picked too."

"Speaking of happy endings..." Bass reaches down, grasping her ass firmly and pulling her close, "I can think of another one that I'd like to explore."

"You're ready for another round already?" Charlie grins and then stretches up to kiss him.

Bass bites at her lower lip playfully, "I'll always be ready for another round with you, Charlie. Always."

* * *

 **A/N: See what I did there? I did not change Charlie's original timeline or her existing history at all. I know the two timelines is different and a stretch, but there are too many paradox possibilities in traditional time travel, and I just wanted to avoid all of them. This only works because the Nano can do whatever the heck I want it to do (create a Bass clone for that new timeline, for example)... haha**

 **And yes, I know it looks like it's over…but it's not. Not quite. Final chapter will be posted tomorrow, and that one...well that chapter is the whole reason I wrote this story. That's the one I'm most proud of... Now it's me who can't wait till tomorrow...well, I CAN, but you know what I mean. :)**

 **Please comment if you have a minute.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: How Time Flies  
** (2047 and beyond)

Charlie is sitting on her porch, drinking a cup of tea and enjoying the sounds of the early morning around her. The rustling leaves and birds singing are a perfect reminder. This is a beautiful day.

Five months have passed since she'd brought Bass and Connor back to her present.

Connor had found an apartment in Willoughby and Bass had settled into Charlie's house as if he'd lived there forever. Willa had lasted two weeks before fleeing. She said she loved getting to know her Dad, but that there were some things she didn't want to know, or see, or hear. Charlie and Bass had smirked and shared a guilty glance at this announcement, but they were happy to have the place to themselves and didn't object when she'd moved in with Connor. It was for the best anyway. Ever since they had met, the unusual siblings had been inseparable.

Charlie smiles as she strokes the curve of her growing belly. When she had been pregnant with Willa, Charlie had struggled. She'd been afraid and worried at every turn. This pregnancy has been different in every way and the reason is simple. Having Bass at her side makes everything better. He dotes on her, though he also makes a point to hang out with Miles every day as well. The new age difference was weird at first, but now they have worked their way back to being the best of friends.

Charlie is lost in thought when Zep appears. He's holding the familiar flat piece of wood. She takes it with a smile, but her smile fades as she reads the invitation for a visit. Something about it feels different and the dog looks….worried. She puts down her tea and stands, "Let's go." She says, patting Zep on the head.

* * *

Zep leads Charlie to Aaron's house and they walk inside silently. It is immediately clear that the dog is taking her to Aaron's room, which is not something he's ever done before. Charlie feels worry slide down her spine. When she enters his room, she takes in a sharp breath. Aaron looks so small and pale lying in the middle of the big bed. Charlie's heart clenches.

"Aaron, why are you still in bed? A beautiful new day is out there waiting for you." She is trying for a teasing tone, but her heart isn't it in.

Aaron shakes his head slowly, "Nah Charlie. We both know I don't have many more beautiful days ahead. I don't have long left. A few weeks, maybe."

Zep whines from his place beside his master's bed.

"No Aaron. You'll bounce back. You always do."

"Not this time."

She starts to speak, but he cuts her off. "No, Charlie. It's okay. It really is. I've had a wonderful life. I want you to know how happy I've been to know you. You are my family, Charlie – the daughter I never had. You know that, right? I love you so much."

Zep moves closer, nuzzling against Aaron's arm, mewling sadly.

"Aaron, I do know. I know because I feel the same way. You are my family too." She can't hold back the tears that fall. "I don't want you to go. I don't even remember my life without you in it. We need you here, Aaron."

He reaches out a hand and she takes it. They share a moment, remembering all the years they've shared. Good years. They talk quietly then, reminiscing about Danny and Ben, Maggie and Priscilla.

"Oh Charlie, I'm going to miss you." He looks so tired and frail.

Charlie is reminded of how this conversation started and she tears up again. "God, Aaron. Can't Zep heal you? Can't he fix whatever is wrong?"

"Yes he could, but it's not what I want. My life was so good Charlie, but I'm tired."

"Aaron, what do you think happens to us when we die?"

He's thoughtful for a few moments and then he shrugs, "Maybe it all just ends. I don't know. Maybe we go to a heaven. Maybe we are reset somehow and get to relive our best years in some crazy eternal loop. I kind of hope that's it. My best years were really, really good."

Charlie smiles sadly, "Your best years - the ones before the blackout?"

"No Charlie. My best years started when I found you and your family."

* * *

Aaron Pittman is laid to rest less than a month after discussing the afterlife with Charlie. She wonders where he is and if he's happy. Zep disappears without warning the next day. It is Miles who first notices that 'the stupid phone booth' is gone as well. The possibilities are endless where the Nano is concerned, but Charlie doesn't worry about any of it. She has other things on her mind.

Bass and Charlie get married in their front yard. She is heavily pregnant with Grant at the time, but nobody cares. The ceremony is simple and (with the exception of Aaron's absence) perfect. Willa and Connor stand up with the happy couple and Miles and Sophie watch them exchange their vows.

The day was perfect, and so was the promise of many wonderful years ahead.

The years that follow are indeed wonderful, but they fly by as years do.

Grant is only eleven months old when his younger brother Jefferson is born. Jeffy in turn is just two when Bass and Charlie have their final child – another boy. They name him Aaron Miles.

On her twentieth birthday, Willa marries Michael, the boy she'd once pinned to a tree with arrows. Connor finds a bride that same year, a lovely young doctor named Elizabeth. Both couples begin having children right away.

The Monroe household is filled with laughter and happiness as children from two generations mix and play. There is always a pile of children's shoes beside the front door. A bicycle or two always leans against the house. Charlie perfects her Grandma Charlotte's chocolate chip cookie recipe (the one Rachel could never quite get right).

Bass and Charlie never do move out of their 'honeymoon phase'.

Bass takes up woodworking and finds a niche making rocking chairs and cradles for folks in the community. Charlie makes a point of being a hands-on mother. She's with her boys as they learn to hunt and play baseball. She's there when they scrape their knees and have their first crushes. She's there when they each find a mate of their own. Bass lets Charlie do most of the parenting, but he's always there too, quietly supporting her every move.

They are a team in every sense, and as their nest empties, they have no problem reverting back to it just being the two of them. They like it best like that anyway.

Life isn't perfect, of course. Like any couple, Bass and Charlie have their ups and downs. Connor's daughter Tara dies after falling from a horse when she is just fourteen. Jeffy's first wife falls to cancer. These periods of grief are difficult on the whole family, but they try to remain strong.

It is Miles's death that takes the biggest toll on Charlie and Bass. Charlie and Sophie are both at his bedside when he closes his eyes for the last time. He is ninety-two when he dies, never having lost any of his snarky attitude or quick wit. In their late sixties themselves, Charlie and Bass deal with their grief in the only way they know how, curled around each other as they reminisce and love and cry.

In total, Charlie and Bass were blessed with five children. By the time her 85th birthday rolls around, they have fourteen grandchildren, and twenty-seven great-grandchildren.

* * *

 **Epilogue Part 1: Charlie's 85** **th** **Birthday  
** (Willoughby Texas - The year is 2092)

Charlie is old now. She wears her long white hair in a simple braid down the middle of her back. Her skin is translucent with age, but her eyes are still a startling blue. She has had two heart attacks, but bounced back each time - although recovery has taken longer after this last one.

There is a party for her birthday. Family, friends and neighbors flood the house and lawn with laughter and joy. Jeffy's oldest bakes a big chocolate cake and sentimental presents are piled high on the dining room table. Charlie oohs and ahs over the finger paintings and pet rocks. Bass watches from nearby, smiling at the happiness he sees in his wife's eyes.

After the cake is gone, and the wrapping paper has been tidied away; Bass and Charlie sit in old wooden rocking chairs, side by side on the front porch. From this vantage point they can see the scurry of children and the flurry of activity all around. Bass is silent as is the norm ever since a stroke last year. It doesn't stop him from looking at his wife and telling her with his eyes just how important she is to him.

Charlie's voice is soft, "It's days like this when I miss them all so much… Miles and Aaron. My Mom."

Bass's silver curls are picked up by a breeze. His face is weathered. His beard is trim and white. His eyes are icy blue. He cocks one eyebrow in response to her comment.

Charlie laughs, "Okay, well, Miles and Aaron at least."

He nods with a small crooked smile.

They watch their family – Connor and Willa are still the best of friends. Inseparable even after all these years and they have proven to be invaluable - especially as their parents' health has started to fail. The younger boys are there as well, mingling with their spouses and laughing with their children. Everywhere they look, Bass and Charlie are both reminded of a life very well lived.

Willa walks up to the porch with one of her granddaughters perched on her hip. Willa's hair is streaked with grey but she's still the same Willa. She smiles up at her folks, asking if they are okay. They both nod and smile, holding hands.

* * *

The next morning, Charlie wakes up slowly. Before she even opens her eyes, she knows. Bass's fingers are still entwined with hers, but they are cold.

"Damnit Bass." She says, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Word of his death spreads quickly and soon the house they've shared for forty-five years is filled again with family for the second time in two days. Instead of yesterday's happiness, the tone is somber. Everyone is worried about Grandma Charlie. She is strong, but seems lost.

Bass Monroe is buried at the top of a hill under an oak tree, not far from where Miles, Rachel and Aaron had all been laid to rest years before. Charlie leans against the tree and shoos everyone away. "I need to talk to him, alone." She smiles sadly at Willa. "You need to take care of them. You are the leader of this family now."

"No Mom. That's still you."

"No sweetie. I can't lead anything. Not without him." She stares at the fresh dirt, her heart clenching painfully. She doesn't let Willa see her discomfort. Charlie is sure this is what a breaking heart feels like.

Charlie talks to the love of her life well into the night. She tells Bass how much she loves him and how happy she is that she was able to find him again, to get him back. She reminds him of all the amazing memories they've shared and how very happy she's been to have him in her life.

In her hand she holds the old picture phone that Aaron had given her all those years ago. She loads it with her fondest memories of Bass and she watches the pictures change as she talks. Now and then she'll pause at one or another, choking back tears.

She lies down on his grave, and the coolness of the fresh dirt soothes her heated cheek. She cries because she can't imagine life without him. Eventually the sobs stop and her breathing slows as she drifts to sleep.

Charlie had survived his death once before, but this second time is too much. Her heart doesn't know how to live without him. She doesn't even wake when her third and final heart attack comes. There is a subtle tightness that causes her to grimace in her sleep, before her face smooths into a peaceful smile and she is gone.

The family is saddened, though not terribly surprised when they find her lying on Bass's grave the next morning, Aaron's phone still clutched in one hand.

* * *

At Charlie's funeral Willa speaks. "I remember the years before Mom and Dad were reunited. My Mom was empty. When she found him again it was as if sunshine was poured into her soul. He was her everything, and she was his. I've never seen a love like that. I don't know that I ever will again.

Some of you may have heard the stories of Aaron Pittman. If you are very lucky, you will remember him yourself. He was a dear friend to this family and he was the reason Mom and Dad found each other again. Before we close the service for today I want to read something to you from Mom's journal. She had been talking to Aaron Pittman shortly before his death and had recorded the conversation as she remembered it. Mom actually read this at his funeral over forty years ago, but I think it's fitting today as well…"

Willa takes a deep steadying breath. She looks out and sees her brothers and their wives. Connor is the Silver Fox now. Their younger brothers are all spitting images of the late Bass Monroe. Willa smiles at each of them and then looks on to see her own husband and a sea of children and friends. She seeks out Connor once more and when he nods reassuringly, she reads her mother's words, "I asked Aaron today what he thought might happen after death. He said this, 'Maybe it all just ends. Maybe we go to a heaven. Maybe we are reset and get to relive our best years in some crazy loop for eternity. I kind of hope that's it. My best years were really good."

Willa glances up again, tears streaming down her face. "I think that if life after death is anything like that last thing, Mom and Dad would both want to start over at the same point – that day where they found each other again. Today, let's all remember them as they should be remembered, together and in love for eternity."

The service winds down and the mood picks up. Family is laughing and remembering and loving each other. Now that Bass and Charlie are buried side by side, it feels like everything will somehow be okay.

* * *

A portly man with a bushy brown beard and big black glasses lays a bouquet of wild flowers on each of the fresh graves. A beautiful golden retriever sits at his side, brown eyes shining happily, and tail wagging. The man smiles just a little to himself before walking to a big blue box, the dog at his heels. Moments after the door closes, the box is gone as if it had never been there at all.

Nobody notices the short visit, but if they did, they would surely wonder what that blue box was, and if the Golden Retriever was just a dog or maybe something more…

The answer of course, is more. Much more. There is nothing the Nano won't do for its creator and those its creator had loved.

Nothing.

If Aaron Pittman wants his friends to have a crazy time loop for eternity, then that is exactly what they shall have.

* * *

 **Epilogue Part 2: Time After Time**

When Charlie enters the dingy space, she sees Bass instantly. He's sitting at the bar, staring into a glass of whiskey. Her breath catches as she takes in his dark messy curls and leather jacket. He's more beautiful even than she remembers. Seeing him after all these years, makes her knees go wobbly, but she suddenly feels wildly self-conscious. She's not twenty-two anymore. He was with a much younger version of her days ago. What if he doesn't like this older Charlie?

As she watches, a busty blond wanders over and leans in close to Bass. Charlie feels a bolt of jealousy surge through, but it subsides quickly when Bass brushes the blond off without even looking at her.

The girl flounces away with a pout, as Charlie sits down on the barstool next to Bass and orders a whiskey. At the sound of her voice, Bass's head jerks up. He smiles when he sees her, but his smile fades quickly, "Charlie? You look….different." he asks, unsure. "How the fuck drunk am I?"

"Pretty drunk I think but yeah, it's me."

He tilts his head curiously, "Nope. Not Charlie…she's in Austin."

"Bass, it's really me."

"Nope, you are almost Charlie, but not quite… She's in Austin, and she's younger than you."

"No, I'm all the way Charlie, but yeah. I probably do look older."

"I don't understand." He runs a hand along his scruffy jaw. His eyes take her in nervously.

"Is there somewhere that we can talk?" She asks.

"Aren't we talking now?"

"Somewhere else?"

"I have a room."

She nods. "Good. Let's go there."

Their eyes lock and they pause for just a moment. In that split-second, they see each other differently. She sees a man with silver curls and a lopsided smile. He sees a woman with a long white braid hanging over shoulders stooped ever so slightly with age. More than that, they both see the love of a lifetime – perhaps the love of many lifetimes…an eternity of lifetimes.

Their gaze holds and for just that one moment - before the past fades completely into a new present - they remember everything, and they understand that they get to do it all again.

For that tiny flash in time Bass and Charlie are the happiest people on Earth because their best years are in front of them again, and those years were really, really good.

 **The End/The Beginning**

* * *

"How can the past and future be, when the past no longer is, and the future is not yet? As for the present,  
if it were always present and never moved on to become the past, it would not be time, but eternity."

― Augustine of Hippo from _Confessions_

* * *

 **A/N: That's it folks. I hope you have enjoyed this story. Thank you to each and every one of you who gave it a chance, and a virtual high five for those who also took the time to comment or email me with your thoughts. You guys rock! Seriously, THANKS... Please let me know what you think if you have a moment.**


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